Shopping Hell

Oxford Street, London is one of my favourite places when it comes to shopping. However, it's hell.

The only shops I go into are Topshop and Zara... there's like 4 or 5 Zara stores within the whole long street. On the other hand, taking a step out on the street at the weekend makes it hell. How do you shop? There's no room, and overcrowded- maybe I just like my personal space.

Interesting fact about Oxford Street with 4 million visitors a week, It was not even part of London during Shakespeare's time. The street which was previously called Tyburn Road, provided water for the city and was the 'site of the notorious "Tyburn Tree"- the gallows'. Condemned prisoners were driven through from Holborn with crowds throwing eggs at them, before execution roughly where Marble Arch is today. From that to being one of the busiest shopping streets today, it's amazing how much has changed!

Image: Future London? A view of how a pedestrianised Oxford Street could look. Illustration: Urban Graphics

Oxford Street to be pedestrianised by 2020.

Problems of a city is that there's so much traffic and vehicles emitting fumes, and causing air pollution. The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan is to tackle this problem and has announced the news. The image above is an illustration what future Oxford Street could look like. 

I feel like it's good because there will be more pedestrian space to walk on, and the whole street will most likely become busier with the whole long street dedicated for shoppers. However, is it really a solution to air pollution in general? There will be more issues, such as diversions for the buses that have been using the street for a very long time. Traffic will happen elsewhere and with the same amount of people driving, fumes adding to air pollution will not change. What's your view on this?

Reference: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jul/14/londons-oxford-street-to-be-pedestrianised-by-2020