TfL officer unable to stop e-bike riders on newly pedestrianised Oxford Street
The London Evening Standard reported that a Transport for London officer struggled to enforce the pedestrian-only ban on Oxford Street after video footage showed e-bike riders riding through the closed section and ignoring signage. The pedestrian zone, covering roughly one kilometre between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street, was opened by Mayor Sadiq Khan as the first phase of a wider regeneration plan, according to the BBC. The Telegraph earlier documented cyclists and delivery riders using the street despite the temporary ban on buses, taxis and cyclists imposed by the mayor’s administration.
The Guardian noted mixed reactions, with shoppers and some businesses praising the change while transport operators and cyclists complained of inconvenience. The London Evening Standard also reported that on the second day of the trial, Transport for London recorded about one cyclist per minute riding in the restricted area, though no fines were issued.