Car-Free Days Flood London With Pedestrians -- And Commerce

"Up to a million people descended on central London's premier shopping streets when traffic was banned from Oxford Street, Bond Street and Regent Street on Saturday."

"It was the third pre-Christmas car-free event, but the first occasion that all three major shopping thoroughfares have been pedestrianised at the same time."

"The one million shoppers who turned out on Saturday were entertained by choirs, acrobats, giant illuminations and a performance of the Snowman. A fireworks display finished off the event. Mr Tyrrell said: 'There were no problems with the roads closures, everything went really smoothly.'"

"'The day was about giving something back to the shoppers and we would love to see many more car- free days, and not just at Christmas.'"

"Mayor Ken Livingstone, who opened the event, said: 'It has become a major event in London's calendar in the run-up to Christmas [and] shows us all what the West End will be like in 2013 with traffic removed and the streets turned over to the pedestrian.'"