Each month, we email a bulletin to everyone who has signed up on this site. Below is the mailout that we sent in October 2020. If you like it, please sign up on our Get Involved section - you will be showing your support for our work and you will receive our free monthly bulletins a month before they appear here.
STAY AT HOME, SAVE DRIVES?
Who is driving through the park at peak times during the week now that the Movement Strategy trial is in full swing? Judging by a recce we carried out this week, the answer could be mainly parents picking up their children.
On Monday evening, we cycled into the park around the time of the school run and waited at the roundabout by Kingston Gate to witness brief flurries of cars entering, in groups of four or five, punctuated by short periods where the road was almost entirely empty apart from cyclists coming down and going up Dark Hill. At around 6pm we went up to Richmond Gate where the roadway had even fewer cars on it – and outside the park, there was only a trickle of traffic heading down and coming up from Star and Garter Hill.
Could these lower traffic levels within the park and around it be the result of the Government’s advice to work from home, which was issued after the trial began? If so, local councils which are monitoring traffic displaced onto their roads during the trial should take into account that working from home is predicted to become the norm for two or three days a week for many office-based workers. That would mean once the pandemic is over, projected numbers for displaced motor traffic should be much lower.
It should be stressed that all of the above is based on observations from only one afternoon and evening. Your experience In the park, day in and day out, could be very different. So in the run-up to the third and final public consultation in a month and a half, we will be doing similar recces at various times of day to see how the trial is progressing. We’ll be posting photos and descriptions on our Instagram page, so look out for updates.
HOLE LOT BETTER
With the Movement Strategy progressing, The Royal Parks has launched a proposal which runs in parallel to it: the introduction of charges to use the car parks in Richmond and Bushy parks.
Its consultation paper points out that the scheme fits in with the strategy’s principle to “encourage the use of more sustainable ways to access and travel through the parks” and would “raise revenue” that would go towards upkeep costs of “related park infrastructure”.
The proposed charges would be £1.40 per hour from Monday to Saturday and £2 per hour on Sunday. The charges would apply from 9am to 6pm whenever the car parks are open (which is contingent on the changing times of sunrise and sunset throughout the year) and the maximum stay is set at six hours. Blue Badge holders and motorcyclists would be exempt.
Undoubtedly, there will be opposition to these plans. When TRP tried to bring in car park charges in 2010, the plan was thwarted by local MPs brandishing no fewer than five petitions (listed in the index of an official report). Zac Goldsmith, then Conservative MP for Richmond Park, even organised a rally. But John Penrose, the Tory minister who kiboshed the plans, promised to “find alternative sources of income instead” – which, a decade later, appear not to have been forthcoming. And over the course of ten years, the pothole-strewn road surface of most of the car parks has deteriorated to such an extent that rain-soaked cyclists huddled over their lattes in Colicci whenever there is a downpour are treated to the remarkable sight of a paddling pool suddenly emerging outside the window. Even some of those who oppose the charges must surely wonder how long will it be before the car parks become unusable.
Crucially, TRP has become a charity since the first parking charge plan bit the dust. That means it is funded less by government, creating a greater need to independently source revenue streams – which might strengthen its hand when local residents and stakeholders begin lobbying in earnest.
Richmond Park Cyclists supports The Royal Parks’ decision to implement charges for parking. It will further reduce the number of motor vehicles in the park which, as everyone has witnessed during the temporary car ban and the present trial, leads to more diverse populations of visitors coming to enjoy the unique environment of the park by bike – women, kids, young people and families happily riding on the roadway, many for the first time.
If you feel the same, please take a look at the outline of the consultation, which contains a questionnaire you can complete and has an email address for you to submit feedback. The consultation closes on November 1.
RULE IT OUT
Since last month’s bulletin, we have spoken and written to Cycling UK’s campaigns manager Keir Gallagher and British Cycling’s policy manager Nick Chamberlin about our concerns regarding the alteration of the Highway Code’s Rule 66, which is likely to have an impact on riding two abreast in the park if it is implemented as written.
To refresh your memory, and for the benefit of any new subscribers, the existing rule advises cyclists to “never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends”. The Government wants to replace that advice with this: “Ride in single file when drivers wish to overtake and it is safe to let them do so. When riding in larger groups on narrow lanes, it is sometimes safer to ride two abreast.”
This would create dangers for a wide variety of cyclists. A parent riding with a child on their inside would be obliged to ride in single file, removing the protection they were providing. A group of club cyclists riding in a 3x2 formation would be obliged to change to one row of six (twice as long, and therefore harder to overtake) which can open them up to more danger. And if the driver decides the situation is safe for him or her to pass, they are likely to take matters into their own hands – regardless of what the cyclist thinks.
It is our belief that the above applies to all roads, but especially to Richmond Park where all vehicles are restricted to 20mph on the outer roadway and the priority is more to enjoy the environment and less to get from A to B. We think it is reasonable for cyclists to ride two abreast wherever they choose in the park – and if a driver is slightly inconvenienced for a short period of time, so be it.
Generally, we support the revisions to the Highway Code and encourage you to respond favourably to the consultation. But please highlight the difficulty with the proposed Rule 66. British Cycling is considering to propose the following: “Cycling in groups no more than two abreast is safe and can make it easier for drivers to pass. When riding in larger groups be aware of the needs of other road users. Consider riding in single file if drivers wish to overtake and it is safe to let them do so.”
We are considering our own response. You have until 27 October to take part in the consultation. Please have a look at the proposals and respond.
CONDUCTING CONVERSATIONS
Now we’re getting down to the nitty gritty! Over the past month we have had conversations with The Royal Parks and the park’s police unit about our proposed Code of Conduct, which aims to create a welcoming environment for all cyclists and other visitors. That dialogue is still ongoing. Both parties and the stakeholders we have shown it to are behind the code and have offered ideas to improve it. Once the final wording is agreed, we’ll run it in a future bulletin. And if you haven’t got involved with the code, there is still time. Have a look at the existing text below (the short version is written to fit on a credit-card-sized flyer) and let us know what you think.
Richmond Park Cyclists’ Code of Conduct for riding on the park roads
Credit card version:
CROSS CONSENSUS: Pedestrians have priority, so let them cross the road when you see them waiting. Stop for deer and horse riders. HARD AND FAST RULE: The speed limit, which applies to cyclists, is 20mph on the outer roadway and 10mph on the Quietway through the middle of the park. MIND THE GAP: Leave a space of 1.5m as you overtake. If you are passing a vulnerable road user, try to leave a bigger gap. RISKY BUSINESS: Look behind you before moving left or right. If you need to stop, get off the road. And when a car is in front of you, keep a distance of at least two bike lengths. JOY OF SIX: For safety, the maximum number of cyclists in a group should be six. Stick to two abreast.
Long version:
For many years, Richmond Park has been London’s No1 free cycling resource - and the diversity of its cyclists is growing.
Since the temporary ban on motor vehicles during lockdown, many more people have been visiting the park by bike. Some are vulnerable road users, such as children, and the elderly. Many of them will have less confidence on a bike than those who typically cycle in the park. By riding kindly, courteously and considerately, you will help to ensure it is a welcoming environment for every type of cyclist and other visitors.
This code is self-policing. If you see a cyclist falling short of it, politely ask them to adjust their behaviour in future.
Please obey the Highway Code and respect the police team who look after the park and its visitors. If another road user extends you a courtesy, thank them – they’ll be more likely to do so again. And try not to react discourteously when provoked by other people’s rude or dangerous behaviour – it could cause the incident to escalate and further compromise your safety.
Whether young or old, novice or expert, here are our guidelines for safe, enjoyable cycling.
STOPPING AND SLOWING
Pedestrians have priority. There are no formal crossings, but you should stop when safe to do so if you see someone waiting to cross.
Consider reducing your speed when passing cafes and car parks. It will give you more time to react to the greater number of people, dogs and traffic moving around.
Be aware of your closing speed. Slow down if necessary when approaching slower-moving road users from behind.
Deer can be unpredictable. Be ready to stop if you see them at the side of the road or approaching it, particularly if they are doing so at speed.
Slow down for horse riders when cycling next to them, such as on the Quietway.
If you need to stop riding, please get off the road. Staying on it creates a hazard.
SPEED
The speed limit on the outer roadway is 20mph. It applies to all road users. Sensible speeds create a more welcoming environment for everyone.
The speed limit on the Quietway is 10mph. Please pay special attention to children, walkers and learner cyclists who frequent this car-free area which runs through the centre of the park between Ham Cross and Sheen Cross.
Never race or time trial. Doing so creates a shorter time to react to hazards, and you are likely to exceed the speed limit. If you want to ride more briskly than the general flow, consider visiting the park when its roads are quieter.
CARE AND COURTESY
Read the road ahead to anticipate hazards.
Look behind you before moving left or right.
Show care when passing. Always overtake on the right (except when filtering) and leave a space of 1.5 metres. Try to leave more room when passing vulnerable road users or less experienced cyclists – they can still be startled or intimidated even at a safe distance.
Obey the solid white lines. They are on stretches of road where overtaking is dangerous. Crossing them is outlawed except to pass a stationary road user or anyone moving at 10mph or less.
Motorists can be frightened too. Keep a distance of at least two bike lengths from the car in front of you, and don’t tailgate if you cannot overtake. Filter gently through stationary or slow-moving traffic so as not to startle.
If you need to cough, sneeze or blow, check to your side and behind to avoid passing on germs.
Use lights at night and take care not to dazzle oncoming road users.
GROUPS AND PAIRS
Stick to a maximum of six riders. Any group larger than this can be less safe to ride in and makes overtaking challenging – both for you and others trying to pass you.
Ride two abreast. More than this creates an overtaking hazard.
When in doubt, single out. If you are not completely certain that you can overtake two abreast and leave a 1.5 metre gap, pass in single file.
Keep it down. Try to use verbal warnings of hazards only when necessary, or use common hand signals. Shouting instructions to others in your group can cause alarm to other road users – especially if they mistakenly think you are addressing them.
SEE YOU NEXT MONTH...
Thank you for allowing us to pop into your inbox. As ever, let us know what you think about any of the subjects in this bulletin, or anything related to cycling in Richmond Park – we reply personally to every email you send us. If you enjoyed this bulletin, please share it with your cycling friends – and if they like what they read, encourage them to sign up to our mailing list too. The more subscribers we have, the bigger our voice.
All the best,
Richmond Park Cyclists
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