Oxford Street

The Street Oxford Street is a major thoroughfare in London. With over 300 shops, it is Europe's busiest shopping street. West of Marble Arch, Oxford Street becomes Bayswater Road. Then up and over Notting Hill and along Holland Park Avenue until it becomes the Uxbridge Road at Shepherd's Bush Roundabout.

History The street follows the route of a Roman road, the via Trinobantina, which linked Hampshire with Colchester and became one of the major routes in and out of the city. + Oxford Street is a square on the British Monopoly board. It is part of the green set together with Regent Street and Bond Street.

Today Oxford Street is home to major department stores and numerous brands' flagship stores, as well as hundreds of smaller shops. Major stores include: Marks & Spencer Topshop, Primark Nike, Adidas

Transport Heavy congestion due to the number of stopping bus routes along Oxford Street plus cross traffic from Marylebone into Mayfair and Soho has led to proposals from the New West End Company, Mayor of London's office and several of Mayoral candidates to pedestrianise Oxford Street with a tram service running end to end.

Xmas Each Christmas the street is decorated with festive lights. In mid-to-late November a celebrity turns on the lights and they remain on until January 6. Celebrities who turned on the Christmas lights: Sugababes, Leona Lewis, Enrique Iglesias, Spice girls, Emma Watson

Marble Arch Marble Arch is a white Carrara-marble monument at the junction of Oxford Street. Standing alone on a traffic island in the midst of swirling traffic, the arch is accessible only by exiting the nearby Marble Arch tube station. Historically, only members of the royal family and the King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, have been allowed to pass through the arch in ceremonial procession.

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