Traders’ association chair Robin Smith at his Soho Dairy market stall

SOME of the last remaining independent businesses in the West End will shut down for good if the Oxford Street road closures are pushed through by the Mayor of London, traders have warned in a final plea.

Berwick Street Traders’ Association chairman Robin Smith said the “locals’ voices have been drowned out” in favour of “big business” and outsider interests.

In his objection to the final consultation on the long-talked about project to block traffic between Oxford Circus and Selfridges, he said: “Your proposals will close all small independent businesses south of Oxford Street.

“Small businesses can’t impose delivery times on suppliers, particularly small farms.

“We are not corporates buying from warehouses, we offer supplies and services to businesses and residents who want better.

“We have falling revenues with the uncertainty in the economy. We are investing in our own businesses to ride out the storm, we cannot absorb any more costs.

“This scheme will make many small businesses inoperable and for others hike costs. It is termination for small independent businesses that have fought for their lives since Covid.

“This plan will stop deliveries, increase costs of transport, and eradicate small businesses that are historically the culture of our West End towns.

“Only big business, planners and architects will welcome this because there is money in it.”

Mr Smith, who has run his stall in Berwick Street for 10 years, said that the project would “destroy West End culture” and see it “reduced to a concrete shopping arcade for thieves, druggies, and drunks, with not a red bus or black cab in sight for visitors”.

Mr Smith said he had regularly been a victim of crime in Soho and the safety of residents and traders was at risk by the changes.

“We need more buses running through Oxford Street, not less,” he said.

Buses that currently serve Oxford Street will be rerouted along Wigmore Street and Henrietta Place, with new bus stops and shelters to be installed.

Transport for London said journey times are expected to increase by “less than a minute”.

But some transport operators fear major problems for taxi and private hire operators working in the centre of the capital.

TfL said cycling – including e-bikes and e-scooters – within the pedestrianised area will not be permitted.

Traffic heading north and south will still be able to cross the pedestrianised Oxford Street at junctions.

Residents’ groups have opposed the scheme including The Marylebone Association that warned there will be “chaos”.

The mayor Sir Sadiq Khan proposed similar plans to pedestrianise Oxford Street in 2018 but the scheme was thwarted by the then Conservative-run Westminster City Council.

The Oxford Street Development Corporation (OSDC), which is steering the project on behalf of Sir Sadiq, held its first meeting on January 7.

The mayor said that the changes would turn Oxford Street into “a truly world-class leisure destination” and be part of “building a better and more prosperous London for everyone”.