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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Traffic ban to pack in shoppers | Traffic ban to pack in shoppers |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| London's best known shopping area has been made entirely traffic free for the first time enabling shoppers to enjoy a day out without dodging vehicles. | London's best known shopping area has been made entirely traffic free for the first time enabling shoppers to enjoy a day out without dodging vehicles. |
| Oxford Street and Regent Street will be open to pedestrians only from 1030 GMT until 1700 GMT. | |
| About 40 million shoppers visit the area over the festive period and organisers hope the event will attract more people. | About 40 million shoppers visit the area over the festive period and organisers hope the event will attract more people. |
| The day has been dubbed West End VIP Day - Very Important Pedestrians. | The day has been dubbed West End VIP Day - Very Important Pedestrians. |
| Redevelopment plans | Redevelopment plans |
| Oxford Street will be closed to traffic from Portman Street to Tottenham Court Road, with Regent Street shut between Margaret Street and Piccadilly Circus. | Oxford Street will be closed to traffic from Portman Street to Tottenham Court Road, with Regent Street shut between Margaret Street and Piccadilly Circus. |
| Buses in the area have also been diverted. | Buses in the area have also been diverted. |
| Welcoming the initiative Mayor Ken Livingstone said: "The West End is the world's leading shopping destination, and is one of London's key assets. | Welcoming the initiative Mayor Ken Livingstone said: "The West End is the world's leading shopping destination, and is one of London's key assets. |
| "It draws people in from outside the capital and from abroad and offers a range and choice you can find nowhere else. This is never clearer than at this time of year." | "It draws people in from outside the capital and from abroad and offers a range and choice you can find nowhere else. This is never clearer than at this time of year." |
| The idea is part of major plans to draw customers back to London's main shopping areas and challenge competition from increasingly popular out-of-town retail parks. | The idea is part of major plans to draw customers back to London's main shopping areas and challenge competition from increasingly popular out-of-town retail parks. |
| Other plans include the redevelopment of Bond Street and Tottenham Court Road Tube stations and converting Marble Arch into a large public space. | Other plans include the redevelopment of Bond Street and Tottenham Court Road Tube stations and converting Marble Arch into a large public space. |
| More ambitious plans include having a tram link running along Oxford Street. | More ambitious plans include having a tram link running along Oxford Street. |