Each month, we email a bulletin to everyone who has signed up on this site. Below is the edition that we sent in May 2022. 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.
IN THIS ISSUE… +++ Traffic restrictions “likely to be made permanent” +++ Camera, action – let’s get more bad driving reported +++ New boss for Richmond Park +++ Park’s police: “The majority of cyclists are considerate and safe and don’t cause us any problems.”
ONE DOOR CLOSES…
Before this bulletin begins in earnest, a brief mention of two upcoming events. On Monday, May 9, we will be attending The Royal Parks’ spring stakeholder meeting, hosted by Tom Jarvis, the charity’s Head of Parks. An “update [...] on what has been happening in the parks over the last few months” is on the agenda, so please email us with any questions you want us to put to the people who run your park.
Then the traffic trials are finally due to conclude after the local elections following a delay of more than a year. We have been told an announcement will be made in a couple of weeks – and judging by the mood music, the current restrictions, which are hugely beneficial for safer, more enjoyable cycling, are likely to be made permanent. We will send you a brief extra bulletin after the news is revealed and set out what it means for our aim of removing through traffic, which we are convinced is now an achievable goal in the near future.
SIGNS OF CHANGE
Signage in the park is getting a revamp in the coming months. This is an opportunity to reinforce the message that drivers should take greater care as they are sharing a road in a national nature reserve which is used by many cyclists and pedestrians. When we spoke to park manager Simon Richards at our most recent quarterly meeting with him, he welcomed our offer to contribute ideas for the wording on the new signs. (This is in addition to the advice and views we are giving the park’s management on new pedestrian crossings and shared road space, as outlined in February’s bulletin.)
And it’s all-change at the top. We won’t be meeting with Simon again as he is retiring this month, although he will be staying on part time until December by which time his successor Paul Richards (no relation, apparently) has settled into the role.
We would like to thank Simon for his support, particularly for agreeing to our quarterly meetings which have strengthened the relationship between cyclists and the park’s management. And we look forward to meeting his namesake soon!
PANEL DISCUSSION
Time, now, for our regular look at the figures presented at the park’s Police Panel. For newer subscribers, this data lists all the road-related incidents that officers attended during the past quarter-year.
As usual, the panel agreed on three priorities for the police over the next three months. They are:
Targeting trade vehicles, which are not permitted unless they are on park business (and, of course, they make the roadway busier). The police’s quarterly figures revealed a total of 198 were issued with fixed penalty notices.
Wildlife protection, as nesting birds and newborn deer need humans to give them adequate space during spring.
Off-track cycling, which leads to soil erosion from rainwater along tyre tracks.
Here is a rundown of all the road-related incidents in January, February and March:
There were 77 drivers fined or warned for excessive speed, 60 for driving around the barriers, three charged for driving without due care and attention, and 11 for having no insurance.
A total of 32 motorists were given verbal warnings for driving off road, and another 70 were dealt with under park regulations. There were no reported traffic collisions involving drivers.
There were a number of cycling accidents which did not involve another party. Only three were reported, and most of the falls were related to the unusually slippery roundabouts caused by a build-up of winter grime without any rainfall to wash it away (as detailed in February’s bulletin). The incidence of spills gradually ended after the park management hosed down the roads. If you suspect a likely diesel spill or conditions similar to those in February, please report it to the police so they can be investigated and resolved promptly.
The police warned 78 cyclists for venturing off track and three were fined. Three cyclists were stopped for not having lights after dark.
NOT SO FAST
Is Richmond Park a velodrome? Of course not. The park is no more a velodrome than Sawyer’s Hill is like Everest, the golf course is Wentworth or the bridleways are like Ascot. So it was pleasing to hear Sergeant Peter Sturgess from the park’s police unit calmly rebut this alarmist suggestion when it was put to him during an interview with a presenter from Radio Jackie, telling her: “The majority of cyclists are considerate and safe and don’t cause us any problems.” You can hear him here – the discussion about cycling speeds in the park begins at 2min 50sec and lasts just over four minutes.
Intriguingly, the interviewer claimed: “Two cycling clubs in Kingston have stopped using Richmond Park because, in their words, it’s turned into a velodrome.” None of us here at RPC has heard any cyclist refer to the park as a velodrome, and we’ve known quite a few. So the notion that two clubs use this term, and that their members no longer use the park, raised a few eyebrows among us.
Later this week, we’ll ask Radio Jackie’s reporters on social media if they can reveal their sources. Or maybe some of our subscribers listen to the station and can fill us in. We’d love to find out more!
THE BURDEN OF TOOTH
There was some amusement around a week ago when a driver got their Bentley stuck on one of the wooden posts, known as Thompson’s Teeth, at the top of Broomfield Hill after realising they were not permitted to go down it. But on a more serious note, you should be aware when riding on this closed section of the roadway that other vehicles can still use it when on park-related business.
Sgt Pete told us that officers driving up the hill responding to a recent incident involving a child encountered cyclists descending on the wrong side of the road. So even though this part of the roadway may seem deserted, to keep safe when descending, please keep to the left as normal and do not cross the double white lines.
And just as we were about to send this bulletin, we received news of a nasty collision on Broomfield on Sunday. A cyclist heading up the hill went on the opposite side of the carriageway to avoid a goose. Three cyclists were descending, and two of them hit him. Sgt Pete said: “We had a couple of ambulances attend, with one of the cyclists believed to have broken ribs due to his chest pain. So our message would be simple: don’t go onto the opposite carriageway, especially on hills. Just slow down or stop if there is wildlife in your way.”
He added: “One of the other messages we would like to promote is for cyclists to slow down if there are emergency vehicles in the road. It’s dangerous for the injured persons and emergency workers if cyclists are passing them at speeds where they cannot stop.”
While chatting to Sgt Pete a few days ago, he also asked us to point out that potentially harmful pesticides are being sprayed on trees in busy parts of the park and other areas to deal with the invasive Oak Processionary Moth, so keep your distance if you see people in hazmat suits going about their work.
BAD FRIDAY
As usual, the Easter weekend brought an influx of poor driving as visitors flocked to the park. In the course of an hour and a half on Good Friday, we recorded video footage on a safety camera of three motorists driving inconsiderately – and two of them received Notice of Intended Prosecution forms after we sent the clips to the Met Police. In stark contrast, the Sawyer’s Hill stretch of the roadway was wonderfully sedate, thanks to being closed to motor vehicles as it was a bank holiday. (You can see how peaceful it was around Beverley Brook, and read more details about the drivers caught on camera, on our Instagram.)
We would like to see more incidents like these reported, whenever and wherever they happen in the park. The link to the Met’s online portal is on our Twitter, Instagram and Facebook bios, and completing the form only takes ten minutes, including uploading any images you may have. The Met’s turnaround is pretty quick, too – they emailed us a day after we sent the footage.
Motorists’ behaviour overall on Good Friday wasn’t typical, as lots more people drove through the park and visited it in their cars than a usual weekday. But in general, if more incidents of poor driving are reported, a clearer picture will emerge of the dangers cyclists sometimes face in the park – and it will further strengthen the argument for removing through traffic.
DUE IN COURT
Staying on the subject of traffic incidents, some good news regarding cycling instructor David Williams, who was driven off Queen’s Road in November moments after being subjected to a close pass. The police have told David the driver is being charged for driving without due care and attention and is scheduled to appear in court on the 24th of this month.
Meanwhile, Lavender Hill Magistrates have adjourned the much-delayed hearing of the U-turning driver until June 17 – 11 months after the crash on Broomfield Hill which left the victim with a broken scapula, fractured shoulder and a written-off bike. The defendant requested the adjournment – but the park’s police have told the cyclist the reason for granting it has not been listed by the court.
ONGAR GAMES
On a final note, a tip of the hat to those plucky subscribers who are nearing the end of their preparations for the RideLondon-Essex 100 on Sunday 29th. While the route no longer goes through Richmond Park, some of you will undoubtedly have used the capital’s number one free cycling resource as part of your training for this year’s edition. Best of luck to everyone taking part – and enjoy the ride!
SEE YOU NEXT MONTH...
As ever, thank you for allowing us to pop into your inbox, and let us know what you think about anything related to cycling in Richmond Park – we reply personally to every email you send us. We’ll send out a brief, bonus newsletter once the traffic trial announcement is made in a few weeks. 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