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Oxford and Regent streets closed to traffic for event Christmas shopping: Oxford and Regent Street closed to traffic
(about 6 hours later)
Oxford Street and Regent Street in central London are closed to traffic all weekend on what is set to be the busiest time of the year for shops. Two of London's busiest streets have been closed to traffic for the weekend to try to encourage people to head into the West End to shop for Christmas.
The roads have been closed for this year's Shop West End VIP Weekend event which allows people to shop safely. Vehicles have been barred from Oxford Street and Regent Street on selected dates in recent years.
It comes as parts of Oxford Street were closed last weekend amid fears of crushing on pavements which have been narrowed due to construction work. However, there was an unplanned closure last weekend amid fears of crushes.
Hoardings by Bond Street Tube station have been removed until January. There were queues outside major department stores as soon as they opened on Saturday, the association which represents 600 businesses said.
Currently there is major construction work near the underground station for Crossrail, which will run from Maidenhead in Berkshire to Brentwood in Essex and Abbey Wood in south-east London, via central London. "The cold weather is forcing people into the shops," said a spokeswoman for the New West End Company.
To ensure the safety of shoppers in the run-up to Christmas, Westminster City Council along with Transport for London (TfL), New West End Company and the Metropolitan Police decided to remove all hoardings and street works surrounding the station from Friday evening. Events are taking place around London to try to drum up festive trade.
The Shop West End VIP Weekend event will see festive entertainment, including vintage busses staging live music, while a horse-drawn carriage will transport shoppers up and down Regent Street. Fairs and Christmas markets are being held throughout the weekend.
And many town centres in London's suburbs are staging special promotions to encourage customers to shop locally, rather than going into the West End or large malls.
Horse-drawn carriages
Many retailers have offered large discounts on goods and are keen to lure customers away from websites as they buy their Christmas presents.
Roadworks near Bond Street Tube station had narrowed the space available in Oxford Street and the road was shut on 3 and 4 December to ensure pedestrians were not hit by traffic.
The hoardings have now been removed until January, when major construction work for the Crossrail train network will continue.
The Shop West End VIP Weekend includes vintage buses staging live music.
And a horse-drawn carriage is transporting shoppers up and down Regent Street.