Fury as ambulance appears stuck behind barriers at Oxford Street's 'pedestrian-only' zone

Fears have been raised about ambulances potentially being delayed after Sadiq Khan's pedestrianisation scheme for the country's busiest shopping street. Bicycles, cars, buses and taxis were banned from half a mile of Oxford Street in London on October 26, with plans to install benches and trees as part of a revitalisation project that will cost £150million.The pedestrianisation runs from Orchard Street near Selfridges to Great Portland Street near IKEA, crossing Oxford Circus. But councillors have voiced concerns after seeing ambulances outside the entrance to the zone.Conservative-run Westminster council's deputy leader Timothy Barnes shared on social media footage of an ambulance with flashing blue lights stopping at the barrier-fronted entrance to the pedestrianised area.His video appeared to display marshals approaching the ambulance and talking to paramedics before the vehicle went on to travel along neighbouring Regent Street.Mr Barnes suggested the padlocked barriers needing to be raised for emergency vehicles risked making progress 'slow and difficult'. He added that one minute on the way to treating someone could have been 'wasted', saying: 'Let's hope it was not life-critical.' Conservative-run Westminster council's deputy leader Timothy Barnes shared on X footage of an ambulance with flashing blue lights stopping at the entrance to the pedestrianised area London mayor Lord Sadiq Khan is pictured as the new pedestrianisation of a section of Oxford Street in the capital's West End came into force on October 26He told the Standard: 'The new black and white, lightweight, bollards along Regent Street make approaching the main barriers harder now too. 'I saw another ambulance incident last week when paramedics were trying to attend to a woman who was lying on Oxford Street itself.'They were also unable to get through the barriers and so they just parked up at one of the south-bound crossings further down the street and then ran over to her.'But Transport for London (TfL) has said paramedics in the ambulance merely asked for directions to nearby Old Cavendish Street where John Lewis's flagship branch is based.And London Ambulance Service has denied facing any delays since the changes. A TfL spokesman said emergency vehicles were still able to access Oxford Street, adding: 'We have worked extensively with the emergency services including meeting monthly ahead of the changes, discussing their requirements and addressing their feedback, and we will continue to work with them as the changes bed in.'He said officials close to the Oxford Street safety barriers could 'quickly open and allow access to any emergency vehicles which need to access the pedestrianised areas'.On the example raised by Mr Barnes, the TfL spokesman said: 'We have looked into the incident and understand that the ambulance stopped to ask for directions to access Old Cavendish Street.'Our staff facilitated its passage through the barrier and notified colleagues ahead, allowing the relevant barriers to be lowered before the ambulance reached it.'There was no hold-up to the ambulance and the operation of the barriers was carried out as agreed with the emergency services.'A London Ambulance Service spokesman said: 'It is vital that we are able to quickly reach patients in a life-threatening emergency.'We have worked closely with the Mayor’s Office and Transport for London to put arrangements in place so our crews can access Oxford Street in a timely manner.'Our crews have not reported being delayed since the changes were introduced.'The mayor's office has been contacted for comment. Lord Khan said last week the pedestrianisation would 'revitalise Oxford Street' as he tries to rid it of its tacky image and association with 'dross' American candy stores.But bike riders have continued to cycle through the area while buses and taxis endure gridlock after being forced onto the West End's side streets.Shoppers, locals and campaigners are calling for a rethink just one week in, fearing cyclists will continue to ignore signs telling them to dismount with impunity.But the mayor – who became Lord Khan of Tooting last month – has hailed the closure of the street as a 'massive moment' and described his critics as 'wrong'.Writing in a national newspaper this week, he said Oxford Street would be on an equal standing with Barcelona's La Rambla, Times Square in New York and the Champs Elysées in Paris – though they, unlike the London boulevard, remain open to vehicles.Lord Khan said in the Mirror: 'Brits today... have lost their sense of pride in Oxford Street, because it no longer shows our capital city at its best.'My message to the country this week is clear: you won't have to feel that way for much longer. 'New York has got Times Square, Paris has got the Champs Elysées, and Barcelona has got La Rambla. New signs were installed overnight that asked cyclists to dismount from their bikes and walk them through the pedestrianised zone'Now, we're going to turn Oxford Street into something even better, by creating a place every Brit can be proud of.'A protest about the closure of the street was held last Friday night, with about 600 people swamping Oxford Street on bicycles at the behest of guerrilla cycling movement Critical Mass.One told online cycling magazine road.cc: 'Oxford Street belongs to the people.'Organisers said they 'sailed through the barriers' in full view of enforcement officers while TfL's own traffic cameras captured a swell of bikes sitting where they are supposedly banned. READ MORE: Beware of the cyclists: Oxford Street's £150million 'pedestrian-only' zone lauded by Sadiq Khan as a 'greener, safer, world-class destination' is now swamped with reckless riders one week on – as shoppers call for fines