London’s Oxford Street bans traffic as city tries to revitalize shopping district

London's Oxford Street is closing to cars, buses, and bicycles starting MondayLONDON -- London’s Oxford Street will be closed to cars, buses and bicycles starting Monday as authorities seek to revive the city’s main shopping street, where the proliferation of souvenir shops and candy sellers has dimmed the allure of what was once the heart of British consumer culture.From now on, nearly a kilometer (mile) of Oxford Street between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street will be traffic-free, with vehicles diverted onto surrounding roads. The move is the first step in a makeover of the storied shopping precinct, with plans to plant trees, install seating and add two new public squares.Oxford Street still sees about half a million visitors a day, with shoppers bustling between retailers such as Selfridges, Zara and John Lewis.But city officials say pedestrianizing the street will put it back into the league of top global shopping destinations like Times Square, the Champs-Élysées and La Rambla.“This is a momentous day for London, a momentous day for Oxford Street,’’ London Mayor Sadiq Khan told the BBC. “It’s a new era.’’While local officials began discussing the idea of pedestrianiz...