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"Disgraceful that vulnerable road users have to put up with this": Renewed call from cyclists for drivers to be banned from using popular park as rat-run

Many have called for through-traffic to be banned from Richmond Park, the 2,500-acre green space in south-west London a popular destination for cyclists and home to numerous car parks for visitors — however, it is also used as a cut-through route

Cyclists in London have once again urged the authorities to close Richmond Park to through-traffic, the latest calls in a long-running saga coming after a visitor to the south-west London park reported "some absolutely horrendous driving on display", including a close pass on a family who were cycling.

The photos of the incident have been widely shared on social media, the rider who saw it unfold sharing still images of the moment a driver overtook a man cycling with two children in the park, the motorist squeezing past despite the oncoming bicycle rider and lack of road space.

And while that particular incident happened on the Priory Lane section, where there is a road closure at the base of Broomfield Hill in place for motorists (and another on weekends on Sawyer's Hill preventing motorists driving the entire way across the park) meaning the route is only useful for those driving to the Robin Hood Gate car park or the one at Spankers Hill Wood, it has once again raised the question about whether the levels of motor traffic are suitable for a park that is London's largest Site of Special Scientific Interest, a National Nature Reserve, and used by so many for active travel.

Cycling campaigner Ruth Mayorcas called the images "awful" and said that she too had "cycled through there this afternoon, the driving gets worse by the day. Cycling from Kingston Gate, turning right at Ham Cross to Pen Ponds is so frightening as drivers give no quarter."

Another cyclist asked: "So why is there a through route for cars in Richmond Park? Really not needed in this day and age. Same goes for Hyde Park."

"The Richmond Park rat-run between Kingston and Richmond needs blocking. I have no issue with parking, it's the through traffic that's the problem," a third added.

Others said they would prefer to see parking restrictions implemented as well as banning through-traffic, with one person suggesting greater use of the shuttle bus service that already runs to the park could help.

Richmond Park queues (via The Royal Parks, Twitter)

> "What a lovely car park": Tailbacks force cyclists onto grass at Richmond Park

On weekdays, during the hours the park's gates are open to motorists, it is possible to drive from any one of the four gates at Kingston, Richmond, Sheen or Roehampton and exit at another, through-traffic that some say has been exacerbated by live traffic sat-nav apps and which offer a cut-through that avoids traffic lights and heavy traffic elsewhere. On weekends, when Sawyer's Hill is closed to motorists, it is still possible to drive through the park between Kingston and Richmond.

One user who called the access a rat-run explained: "It still beats going around and stopping at traffic lights, hence plenty of drivers use it. Need to close it — only access for cars should be to parking lots. I cycle Richmond Park and also on occasions drive from Kingston side to Richmond."

 In February 2021 there were calls to ban motor traffic in the park after a cyclist suffered facial injuries in a shocking crash in a 20mph section, and while details around the circumstances of the collision were few the vehicle of the driver involved was pictured badly damaged having left the road.

 There has long since been talks of cyclist safety in the park, however controversially much of the discussion has centred around measures that focus on cyclists themselves and not other road users in the park.

Richmond Park constituency MP Sarah Olney previously appealed for cyclists to slow down and "think about the impact of their behaviour on others" as it is "not a sports venue".

Richmond Park traffic.PNG

> "Richmond Park is just horribly dangerous": Drivers stream past child cycling in the park 

Also in 2021, a much-criticised new code of conduct for cyclists was introduced by Richmond Park Cyclists – an umbrella group representing all cyclists and para-cyclists who use the park and was founded in 2017 "as a means of creating a dialogue with The Royal Parks (the body in charge of Richmond Park), the Metropolitan Police and key stakeholder groups".

Among the new 'rules' for cyclists using the park were, "Keep it down... [as] shouting instructions to others in your group can cause alarm to other road users", and the advice to avoid frightening motorists by "tailgating" or failing to "filter gently".

> Richmond Park Cyclists' co-founder responds to critics of controversial Code of Conduct

In response, ​Tim Lennon, co-ordinator of Richmond Cycling Campaign, the borough group affiliated to London Cycling Campaign, told road.cc that the code of conduct cannot address the "real hazard" of motor traffic and suggested that there should be a code of conduct for motorists using the park.

In recent times, much of the discussion has been about cyclists' speeds when riding in the park, despite speed limits not applying to cyclists and the Metropolitan Police confirming in 2021 that cyclists using Richmond Park are not subject to speed limits.

> Cyclists in Richmond Park face crackdown for 'speeding' – even though limits do not apply to them

The Royal Parks acknowledged that bike riders are not subject to the same rules as motorists, but said that action will be taken against those riding "recklessly".

Dan is the road.cc news editor and joined in 2020 having previously written about nearly every other sport under the sun for the Express, and the weird and wonderful world of non-league football for The Non-League Paper. Dan has been at road.cc for four years and mainly writes news and tech articles as well as the occasional feature. He has hopefully kept you entertained on the live blog too.

Never fast enough to take things on the bike too seriously, when he's not working you'll find him exploring the south of England by two wheels at a leisurely weekend pace, or enjoying his favourite Scottish roads when visiting family. Sometimes he'll even load up the bags and ride up the whole way, he's a bit strange like that.

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10 comments

Avatar
Pub bike | 8 months ago
1 like

Since cars are the main danger to all other users and residents of the park - humans and animals - the (little followed) rule that cars driving to White Lodge (the ballet school) should drive at 10mph with hazard warning flashers on should apply to the entire park.

Avatar
kingleo | 8 months ago
7 likes

They should get rid of all those huge car parks in Richmond Park - it's a park, not a shopping center.

Avatar
Rendel Harris replied to kingleo | 8 months ago
4 likes
kingleo wrote:

They should get rid of all those huge car parks in Richmond Park - it's a park, not a shopping center.

In an ideal world I'd agree, but until there are many more safe active travel routes available to reach the park I don't think it would be fair to restrict access to one of the jewels of London to locals and those confident enough to brave the busy traffic surrounding it on all sides. I'd compromise by retaining the car parks right by gates - Kingston, Roehampton and Sheen, maybe Richmond if a decently-paved cycle path was provided - but closing the ones that require driving through the park to reach - Broomfield Hill and Pen Ponds. Electric shuttle bus to reach those for the elderly/disabled (they did have a bus that was removed due to Covid, not sure if it's been reinstated). Reasonable charge to be levied for car parking to be used for park maintenance, improving walking and cycling trails, active travel access and also to deter those (and there are many) who drive from half a mile away to walk their dogs.

Avatar
Mr Hoopdriver replied to Rendel Harris | 8 months ago
1 like
Rendel Harris wrote:

... deter those (and there are many) who drive from half a mile away to walk take their dogs for a sh*t.

FTFY.

My pet peeve here is having to clean dog sh*t of my mtb tyres.  Every ride.

Avatar
open_roads | 8 months ago
3 likes

I think it's about time that cyclists started to examine the governance structure of The Royal Parks and options to effect a change in Strategy and Culture from the inside of the organisation / or by lobbying for change to the leadership of it.

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chrisonabike replied to open_roads | 8 months ago
3 likes

Hmm ... Royal parks, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea ...

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Rendel Harris replied to chrisonabike | 8 months ago
3 likes
chrisonabike wrote:

Hmm ... Royal parks, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea ...

On t'other hand, my birth (but no longer residence) Royal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames is one of the best in London for cycle projects. However, Royal Parks do seem to have a mad prejudice against cyclists sometimes.

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chrisonabike replied to Rendel Harris | 8 months ago
1 like

Good point - we should cast the net wider.  There's also The RB of Greenwich, RB of Windsor and Maidenhead, the Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield (apparently), Royal Leamington Spa, Royal Tunbridge Wells and Royal Wootton Bassett.  I've no experience with any of those - anyone?

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Rome73 replied to Rendel Harris | 8 months ago
5 likes

I live up near Hampstead Heath. We have been trying to get a north - south cycle route from Parliament Hill to Highgate for, oh, 20 years or something.  There is an east - west route which links to a cycle route but to go north you have to stick to the road. - which is a huge hill. Anyway, the Corporation of London are just as stubborn as The Royal Parks. 

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Festus replied to Rome73 | 8 months ago
3 likes

Its not just Richmond Park  I amazed with RSPB and their theme parks that supply bigger and better car parking to accommodate vehicles that kill more birds than anything else

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