Oxford Street leads today, as most of the street goes traffic-free next week. We also have a national report on children’s services, a call from Covid-bereaved families, and a seabird recovery on the south coast.
Oxford Street goes car-free from 26 October
In London, cars, buses, taxis and bicycles are due to be removed from much of Oxford Street on 26 October. If you shop, work or commute through the West End, you will need new routes, and the bus services that use the street are likely to change.
Source: BBC London
Children’s commissioner warns of a “postcode lottery” in England
Dame Rachel De Souza, the Children’s Commissioner for England, has published a major report. It says children are being failed by a “postcode lottery”, where the support they get depends on where they live. Parents who are choosing where to settle may want to follow the debate it starts on schools and local services.
Source: BBC News
Covid-bereaved families write to Andy Burnham
Families who lost relatives during the pandemic have written to the Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, asking for justice. They say 23,000 people died needlessly and that “government incompetence cost lives”. The letter keeps questions about how the pandemic was handled firmly in national politics.
Source: Evening Standard
Two 15-year-olds arrested after report of gun pointed at boys
Two boys aged 15 have been arrested after a gun was reportedly waved towards four young boys in a village in the Midlands. The report gives few other details so far.
Source: BirminghamLive
Solent seabirds recover after bird flu
In 2022, bird flu wiped out the colony of sandwich terns nesting at Pagham Harbour in West Sussex. After RSPB conservation work in the Solent, the colony has gone from zero to 756 breeding pairs in three years. Gulls, plovers and oystercatchers have also returned, which makes the area a good day out for anyone who enjoys the coast.
Source: The Guardian
Strictly fans want a change after a results-show reveal
Fans of Strictly Come Dancing are calling for a major change to the show. This comes after one of its stars was seen giving away a “not-so-secret secret” about how the results show works, shortly before leaving the competition.
Source: Manchester Evening News
UK Today is a curated digest: we summarise and link, the reporting belongs to the publications named. Something wrong or missing? Tell us.
Sources
- BBC London: Oxford St pedestrianisation: What you need to know, accessed 19 October 2026
- Manchester Evening News: Strictly Come Dancing fans call for change as star exposes results show illusion before exit, accessed 19 October 2026
- BirminghamLive: 'Gun waved towards four young boys' in Midland village, accessed 19 October 2026
- BBC News: 'Postcode lottery' driving children's inequality in England, commissioner warns, accessed 19 October 2026
- The Guardian: Seabird numbers bounce back in Solent region after 2022 avian flu wipeout, accessed 19 October 2026
- Evening Standard: Covid bereaved families appeal to Andy Burnham for justice for 23,000 victims who died needlessly, accessed 19 October 2026
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