The Mayor of London has attacked Westminster City Council over Oxford Street, accusing it of "knee-jerk opposition" and claiming it has "failed to be decent custodians" of the street, after the council raised concerns about his plans to close almost a kilometre of the road to traffic from 26 October, MyLondon has reported.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service at Labour Party Conference, Sadiq Khan said: "We're seeing a Conservative Westminster Council being opposed to revitalising and reenergising this great street." He added: "Because that council has failed to be decent custodians of our street, I'll be a good custodian."

Westminster City Council had earlier warned that the Mayor was rushing preparations, with questions still unanswered on access, air pollution, street cleaning and public safety. 

Cllr Tim Barnes, Deputy Leader of Westminster City Council and Cabinet Member for Growth and Planning, said: 

"While we finally now have a timetable for the proposed pedestrianisation, Westminster City Council, residents and businesses on Oxford Street still have a long list of unanswered questions about how it will work." 

He added: 

"Right now there's a danger that we will have all of the downsides and too little upside. 

"Traffic will be pushed to the small streets nearby causing economic and environmental harm. 

"We are writing to the Oxford Street Development Corporation with our serious concerns now it is obvious the Mayor is rushing preparations with little time left."

Conservative London Assembly Member Andrew Boff said the Mayor had failed to meaningfully consult those affected, "chiefly disabled Londoners," adding: 

"I encourage the Mayor to get this right before he proceeds, rather than to just push ahead and hope to fix problems after harm has been done."

You can read Kumail Jaffer and Katherine Gray's article in MyLondon in full here.