We’ve made Oxford Street traffic-free – and that’s just the start. Soon there’ll be green spaces for arts and music too | Sadiq Khan

At around 8pm on Sunday evening the last car made its way down Oxford Street, marking the start of a momentous new era for our nation’s high street. Today, after decades of discussions and deliberations, the action we’ve taken means almost one kilometre of Oxford Street is now officially traffic-free – just in time for Christmas. But this is only the start of a much bigger transformation, and the first step towards a bright new future for this historic thoroughfare.

Walk down Oxford Street, and you’re passing through hundreds of years of British history and culture. In 1864, an ambitious young draper called John Lewis opened his first shop on the street. Forty-five years later, the American entrepreneur Harry Gordon Selfridge arrived with a radical idea: to transform shopping from a mundane necessity into an unforgettable experience. He filled his store with dazzling window displays, world-class entertainment, restaurants and lounges. He even installed women’s toilets – a rarity in Edwardian England – giving women a newfound freedom to make the most of the city. As he opened the doors to his first customers, he told them “everyone is welcome”.

That spirit has been at the heart of Oxford Street’s success ever since. We love it because it feels as if it belongs to all of us. It’s where teenagers come for their first shopping trip with friends. Where families marvel at the magic of festive lights and decorations. And where generations of Londoners and visitors have come to discover the latest music, fashion and trends. It’s also the beating heart of British retail – pumping billions into our national economy, with the surrounding area accounting for an incredible 1% of the UK’s total economic output in 2022.

But in recent years this iconic street has started to lose some of its sparkle. Changing consumer habits and the legacy of the pandemic have taken their toll. Footfall has fallen. Some of our best-loved stores have closed their doors, only to be replaced by vape shops and candy stores. And, too often, the experience of visiting a chaotic, congested Oxford Street has felt more like an ordeal to survive than a day out to enjoy.

Oxford Street and South Molton Street, visualised by architects for the transformation of the iconic shopping thoroughfare. Computer-generated: AVR London

If we’re to restore this beloved street to its former glory, we must rediscover the pioneering spirit of Harry Gordon Selfridge and create a space for everyone to enjoy, breathing new life into the high street and bringing back big brands. And that’s what our bold plans – backed by the overwhelming majority of Londoners and businesses – are all about. And with household names like Ikea, Puma and Clarks investing in new stores, there’s already excitement for what Oxford Street can become.

People need a reason beyond simply buying something to visit their high street. And in an age when almost anything can be delivered right to our door, that principle matters more than ever. Coming to Oxford Street should feel like a positive experience. Somewhere you want to spend time, as well as your hard-earned money. A place where you’re not choked by tailpipe fumes or deafened by the noise of passing motorists. And that starts with reclaiming it for pedestrians, not traffic – rebalancing the relationship between cars and people in the centre of our city.

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That’s why I’m so delighted that, thanks to our efforts, the road stretching between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street is now officially traffic-free. But removing cars is just the beginning. Imagine an Oxford Street where you can stroll at your own pace, take a break from shopping with a coffee under the trees, or stumble across some live music, a fashion show, a sports exhibition or a cultural event. We’re determined to put Oxford Street not just on par with top global shopping destinations like Times Square, the Champs-Élysées and La Rambla, but make it even better.

And while it’s a process – we’re deliberately keeping disruption to a minimum over the busy Christmas period – by next spring, visitors can expect to see new trees, new seats and new public plazas, alongside improved lighting and signage. This ambitious project has been far from straightforward or easy. As usual, we’ve had to overcome opposition from a vocal minority, and 14 years of a previous government that didn’t back the plans. But with seven in 10 Londoners expressing support for our vision, after extensive consultation, I knew we owed it to our city and to our businesses to deliver these improvements, which will help to boost jobs, growth and investment as we build a fairer, safer, greener and more prosperous London for everyone.

The first John Lewis shop, which opened in 1864, on Oxford Street. Photograph: John Lewis/PA

Of course, we’ll continue to listen to Londoners. Many of the initial changes are temporary, and we’ll use real-time feedback to help refine the final designs in a test and review period throughout 2027. But for centuries, Oxford Street has reinvented itself, adapting to changing times and helping shape British culture along the way. And now it’s in need of its next great transformation. One that honours its extraordinary past while creating new possibilities for the future. A future where new memories are made, new businesses flourish and new chapters of British history are written.

Today marks the beginning of that journey – and I encourage everyone to come to explore this newly transformed street, as we work together to ensure its best days are still to come. In the words of Harry Gordon Selfridge – everyone is welcome.

• Sadiq Khan is the mayor of London