They’ll never compete against online shopping prices or convenience. Making it harder to traverse isn’t going to fix that. But it will make it a nicer day out for tourists.
Harder to traverse for whom? Nobody drives down there currently so this would be no different. This will actually make it much easier for the tens of thousands of people that walk there every day
Have you ever actually walked down oxford street?
The pavements are normally crammed, and there are 3 million cars a minute fighting for the road space.
Adding 5x as much space for pedestrians is a fantastic idea.
It’ll be a tiny, tiny minority of people not visiting OS because they can’t park/taxi/bus to the shop front, and a huge number of people going there because it’s a nice experience with no traffic.
I think there are disabled people that aren’t able to travel autonomously/independently and that the public transportation available is a godsend to them.
I’ll actively avoid it and take other routes. When I did removals in London, we’d go out of our way to avoid similar roads, they’re always extra hassle. It makes loads of sense to prioritise pedestrians
I know, but I’m a rebel! I don’t just break the rules, I make the rules! Which I then break, which is somewhat counterproductive but that’s rebels for you.
~Also, I suspect it was at least 15 years ago when I last drove down it!~
Except most studies say that when you limit car traffic and have the streets be walkable more people walk through that street and the business of most shop increases?
You are right that they can’t compete directly with online shopping, but that’s not why people go there. Studies have consistently shown that closing shopping areas to through-traffic is good for businesses, precisely because it makes them easier, not harder, to access. Shops don’t benefit in any way from hundreds of cars (or, in this case, buses and taxis) driving past them!
EDIT: Thought I should link to a specific study rather than just vaguely waving at them. There are many to choose from but this one is particularly interesting because it’s from the US, where they generally don’t have good cycling and public transport infrastructure, but it still shows benefits for businesses:
While we observed some mixed results, we generally found that street improvements have either positive impacts on corridor economic and business performance or non-significant impacts.
It’s important to note that nothing always works everywhere (‘some mixed results’, here), but the balance of evidence is in favour of at least trialling traffic reduction schemes in commercial districts.
They’ll never compete against online shopping prices or convenience. Making it harder to traverse isn’t going to fix that. But it will make it a nicer day out for tourists.
Harder to traverse for whom? Nobody drives down there currently so this would be no different. This will actually make it much easier for the tens of thousands of people that walk there every day
Have you ever actually walked down oxford street?
The pavements are normally crammed, and there are 3 million cars a minute fighting for the road space.
Adding 5x as much space for pedestrians is a fantastic idea.
It’ll be a tiny, tiny minority of people not visiting OS because they can’t park/taxi/bus to the shop front, and a huge number of people going there because it’s a nice experience with no traffic.
Sorry, I weren’t looking through my ableist lens properly.
So you think that adding more space for wheelchairs is a bad thing?
Gotcha.
These carbrains always start pearl clutching about the disabled at times like these
I think there are disabled people that aren’t able to travel autonomously/independently and that the public transportation available is a godsend to them.
Are you arguing the whole world needs to allow driving up to businesses so disabled people can shop?
Who drives down Oxford Street? I think I’ve done it once in 20 years. Other roads are available.
This. Roads used to be for people not cars
I’ll actively avoid it and take other routes. When I did removals in London, we’d go out of our way to avoid similar roads, they’re always extra hassle. It makes loads of sense to prioritise pedestrians
Whenever I have walked down there it’s mostly buses and taxis with a few cars peppered in.
Been ages since I’ve walked along there but I remember far more people than cars and at times the street is completely empty.
It’s been closed to cars for about 15 years
I know, but I’m a rebel! I don’t just break the rules, I make the rules! Which I then break, which is somewhat counterproductive but that’s rebels for you.
~Also, I suspect it was at least 15 years ago when I last drove down it!~
😂
Isn’t that what Oxford Street is, more or less a tourist attraction? I don’t imagine many people going for their weekly shop.
Except most studies say that when you limit car traffic and have the streets be walkable more people walk through that street and the business of most shop increases?
You are right that they can’t compete directly with online shopping, but that’s not why people go there. Studies have consistently shown that closing shopping areas to through-traffic is good for businesses, precisely because it makes them easier, not harder, to access. Shops don’t benefit in any way from hundreds of cars (or, in this case, buses and taxis) driving past them!
EDIT: Thought I should link to a specific study rather than just vaguely waving at them. There are many to choose from but this one is particularly interesting because it’s from the US, where they generally don’t have good cycling and public transport infrastructure, but it still shows benefits for businesses:
It’s important to note that nothing always works everywhere (‘some mixed results’, here), but the balance of evidence is in favour of at least trialling traffic reduction schemes in commercial districts.
i have never understood this, online shopping is hilariously much more expensive and inconvenient than just popping down to the shops
also removing cars almost always makes it easier to get around, not sure why you’d think it would make things harder?
On what planet?
The price conscious aren’t going to Oxford street, did you even read the article?
I read it, and there was a weird claim that pedestrianisation would make it harder for the poor’s to access.
Because they couldn’t either take the underground, or a bus, to the end of the road.