RPC Bulletin #56, September 2022

Each month, we email a bulletin to everyone who has signed up on this site. Below is the edition that we sent in September 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… +++ Contribute to the updated Code of Conduct +++ We film motorist threatening cyclist +++ U-turning Uber driver who caused accident finally fined +++ Monthly event attracts a record 100+ riders +++ Very limited access for cycling during London Duathlon +++ Still time to sign up for market research on the park +++ 

WAIT FOR IT…

Before we begin this bulletin, a brief note on the next one. The long-delayed announcement about the end of the park’s traffic trials, which many think are likely to be made permanent, is expected sometime this month – and as soon as The Royal Parks’ board of trustees makes its decision known, you can expect a bonus RPC bulletin winging its way to your inbox. Then, as usual, you’ll get a newsletter at the start of next month. For now, though, let’s get on with this one!

CODE SHARING

At the end of this email you will find the draft of an update to our Code of Conduct which, as long-time subscribers and supporters will know, promotes safe, courteous cycling in the park. Like the first edition, published in January last year, there is a credit-card sized version for distribution in bike shops and local businesses, and the full text which will appear on our website. 

Here are the key amendments:

• New advice on riding in the centre of the lane and riding two abreast is in line with the recent changes to the Highway Code.

• Guidance on speed now reflects the agreement between The Royal Parks and the parks’ police that the limits in the park regulations do not apply to cyclists, while also acknowledging that speed can be a contributory factor in prosecutions of inconsiderate cycling.

• Riding on the left-hand side of the road now includes a focus on the restricted stretches of road in the park. This comes after some instances of cyclists riding on the right on Broomfield Hill, thinking this would not be an issue as it is closed to traffic, only to find that they were in the path of oncoming emergency vehicles trying to get to incidents.

• The group size of six has changed from a rule to a recommendation. 

• There is now a clearer explanation on the importance of avoiding tailgating motorists.

Please take a look and let us know what you think – the final version will incorporate suggestions, amendments and additions provided by our subscribers.

DU COURSE

Best of luck to everyone taking part in the London Duathlon in Richmond Park on Sunday. Please note that the entire roadway, including the Quietway, will be closed to cyclists (except for those competing) and other road users, as all of it is being used for the event’s three courses.

Unlike last year, you won’t be able to cycle on the Tamsin Trail either. But the park’s management told us they do not mind children and less confident cyclists riding on the tarmac path, which runs from Roehampton Gate to Richmond Gate and between Ham Cross and Kingston Gate, although others should not treat it as an alternative route during the duathlon as the pathway is suited to lower speeds and has smaller capacity than the outer road.

So unless you’re going out for a very gentle pootle or a leisurely ride with your kids, and you don’t mind keeping to the tarmac paths, please avoid the park completely and use alternative routes.

FINE TIME

The longest-running story in this bulletin has finally come to an end. Thirteen months after his actions left a cyclist with a broken scapula, a fractured shoulder and a written-off bike, the driver who ignored the no entry signs at the top of Broomfield Hill before trying to U-turn at the bottom has been fined £214 and given five points on his licence.

Uber driver Mr Usman, 28, of Harrow, west London, was expected to plead not guilty but changed his mind when he finally appeared at Wimbledon magistrates on August 23, having previously managed to get the hearing adjourned twice.

Mr Usman says he had been following directions on his sat nav. The cyclist could not see him trying to U-turn on the blind corner and smashed into his car.

We’re pleased for the victim that the case has concluded. Without going into the details of his impact statement, it is clear that his injuries affected his ability to carry out his normal duties as a father. And the case showed the frightening consequences of a foolish driver treating the park as merely a convenient shortcut – which is one of the reasons why we want to see through traffic removed altogether.

BERK IN A MERC

On Tuesday last week at approximately 4.15pm, we stumbled across a confrontation between a driver of a black Mercedes and a couple of cyclists on the southbound lane of Queen’s Road, approaching Ham Cross.

After we arrived on the scene, we were told the driver had parked in the way of the first cyclist, who was riding on his own, to take a selfie with a deer. The cyclist shouted at him, and the driver gave chase then swerved in front of him. The second cyclist saw what was happening and stopped to intervene.

The driver’s overreaction was apparently so spectacular that a dad walking with his son crossed the road to try to diffuse the situation, and a park groundsman driving past in his truck alerted officers. When we arrived, the driver’s female partner was trying to stop him threatening the second cyclist, while the first was on the phone to the police. Luckily, our bike cam captured this scene, and we have passed the footage on to Sgt Sturgess from the park’s police unit.

The cyclist who called the police seemed dubious that reporting the incident would have any effect, although he didn’t initially realise the confrontation was being filmed. But even if you find yourself in a similar situation and you aren’t able to take photos or video evidence, we would strongly urge you to speak to the police. Confrontations recorded in the park’s official statistics will give a clearer picture of the dangers that people who choose to cycle in the park sometimes face.

JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS…

An invite to take part in the Royal Parks Panel’s first survey arrived in our inbox last week. There were only two questions. The first was: “What type of activities do you use The Royal Parks for? Or if you don’t use The Royal Parks please tell us why?” And the second: “What type of activities do you use The Royal Parks for? Or if you don’t use The Royal Parks please tell us why?” We anticipate the next survey will be more in-depth!

TRP said there will be further opportunities to take part in polls, focus groups and interviews, and you can still sign up here. The more subscribers taking part, the better, as it will make the people who run the park more aware of cyclists’ perspectives. 

TRP GETS CRACKING

A member of the public has asked us to pass on her thanks to “all you lovely kind cyclists that stopped to help” her little grandson after he came off on one of the cracks in the tarmac on Broomfield Hill on Tuesday. We also passed on the lady’s thanks to the park’s police, who gave her grandson a lift in one of their buggies. Thankfully, the little fella only suffered scrapes and bruises. 

Prior to this accident, we had contacted the park’s management about the cracks, which have probably been caused by the recent dry, hot weather. Then, on Tuesday, while out taking a photo of the damage, we spoke to one of The Royal Parks’ maintenance team who was marking the road for repair. She indicated that they were aiming to get the fixes completed before the duathlon on Sunday – and yesterday the stretch from Robin Hood Gate to Broomfield Hill was closed for repairs at 8am, with the work scheduled for completion by 4pm. Thanks to TRP for getting the work done.

CHAIN DRIVEN

Finally, congratulations to Chain Gang Cyclists, who had their biggest turnout yet for their monthly event in Richmond Park, which attracted more than 100 riders on Saturday. As you can see in these photos of the Bank Holiday Bonanza, CGC is inclusive, diverse and has introduced dozens of cyclists to the enjoyment of group riding. Take a look at Strava for the other rides they’ve got lined up.

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. 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. And don’t forget to have a look at the draft of the new Code of Conduct below⬇︎, and give us your suggestions!

All the best,

Richmond Park Cyclists

***

CODE OF CONDUCT UPDATE – DRAFT

Credit card version:

CROSS CONSENSUS: Pedestrians and horse riders should have priority, so let them cross the road when you see them waiting and it is safe to do so. Stop for deer. NOT SO FAST: Please observe the signposted guidance on speed which is 20mph on the outer roadway and 10mph on the Quietway through the middle of the park MIND THE GAP: Leave a space of at least 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. SIX APPEAL: For safety, we recommend the number of cyclists in a group should be restricted to six. Ride no more than two abreast.

These are our basic guidelines for riding on the park’s roads. For the complete Code, see richmondparkcyclists.org.uk/codeofconduct

Long version:

Richmond Park is a National Nature Reserve, and cycling in it is a privilege as well as a pleasure. For many years, the 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 the first lockdown and the subsequent restrictions on through traffic, 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 and courteously, 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. And if you are an experienced cyclist, remember that your good behaviour sets an example for others to follow.

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 compromise your safety.

Whether young or old, novice or expert, here are our guidelines for safe, enjoyable cycling.

STOPPING AND SLOWING

• Pedestrians have priority everywhere. This policy, which is set out in the park’s transport principles, differs from the Highway Code. It means you should stop when safe to do so if you see someone waiting to cross. At the raised crossings, you should stop for pedestrians. But slow down smoothly and avoid braking hard if there are other cyclists or vehicles close behind you.

• 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.

• Look out for horse riders. Provide a polite verbal warning if approaching from behind, slow down when cycling near to them, such as on the Quietway, and stop to let them cross the road if you see them waiting. 

• Deer are wild animals and can be unpredictable. Learn to read their behaviour – are they grazing or do they want to cross? Be ready to stop if you see them at the side of the road or approaching it. The same applies to other wild animals, such as geese, who sometimes wander into the road.

• If you need to stop riding, please get off the road. Staying on it creates a hazard.

SPEED

• The signposted speed advice on the outer roadway is 20mph and it is your guide as a cyclist. Sensible speeds create a more welcoming environment for everyone.

• The signposted speed advice on the Quietway is 10mph and it is also your guide as a cyclist. Please pay special attention and give way to children, walkers and learner cyclists who frequent this mostly 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 for you to react to hazards, less time for others to see you and can frighten the unwary and vulnerable. If you want a less disrupted ride, consider visiting the park when it is quieter.

CARE AND COURTESY

• Always ride in the left-hand lane, as you would on any other road, even in parts of the park which are closed to motor traffic. Riding on the right in restricted areas creates a hazard for oncoming cyclists, and drivers attending incidents and on park business.

• Ride in the centre of your lane when approaching junctions or narrow sections of the road.

• Read the road ahead to anticipate hazards.

• Look behind you before moving left or right.

• Show care when passing. Watch your speed, always overtake on the right (except when filtering in slow-moving traffic) and leave a minimum space of 1.5 metres. 

• Try to leave more room when passing pedestrians, or less experienced cyclists – they can 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 – not because they are concerned you might injure them, but because they fear they could harm you. So don’t tailgate (a distance of two bike lengths from the car in front of you is ideal) and filter carefully and respectfully through traffic so as not to startle. Even if you believe overtaking to be safe, do not overtake if it could alarm the person you are overtaking or oncoming road users.

• If you need to cough, sneeze or blow, check to your side and behind. Use a handkerchief or your hand/sleeve to avoid passing on germs.

• Use lights at night and take care not to dazzle oncoming road users.

GROUPS AND PAIRS

• We recommend restricting group size to six, depending on traffic conditions and the abilities of the individuals to ride compactly and safely in a group. Riding in large groups requires additional skills and makes overtaking challenging – both for you and others trying to pass you.

• Riding two abreast is permitted and safe, particularly in groups or when accompanying children or less experienced riders. Do not ride more than two abreast. 

• Consider riding single file. When riding in groups, be aware of the needs of other road users. Think about opting to ride single file if traffic builds up behind you, particularly when going uphill, and you believe it is safe for that traffic to overtake. If you are not certain that your group can overtake others and leave a 1.5 metre gap, ride 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. 

RPC Bulletin #55, August 2022

Each month, we email a bulletin to everyone who has signed up on this site. Below is the edition that we sent in August 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… +++ The Royal Parks Panel – give your perspective on the park +++ Return of temporary road closures for children to play +++ A history of opposition to through traffic – and what we can learn from it +++ Latest police stats +++ Rickshaws for Richmond Park? +++

BACK AGAIN?

On Friday, July 29 at around 8.50am on the approach to Colicci, a cyclist spotted a moped with two passengers going very slowly anticlockwise, raising the prospect that armed bike thieves have returned to the park. 

At Sheen Cross, the cyclist turned right to Sheen Gate while the moped rider carried on straight towards Sawyer’s Hill. It could all be perfectly innocent, but we have passed on the details to the park’s police.

There have been increased police patrols since the bike jacking in June, which we detailed in our previous bulletin. Investigations continue. In the meantime, look out for your fellow cyclists in the park, particularly lone riders as they tend to be targeted by this sort of thieves.

SIGN UP AND HELP OUT

There are currently quite a few opportunities to help the cycling community. All of them are well worth considering if you have the time.

• The Royal Parks is looking for visitors aged 18 and over to take part in research on Richmond Park and its other green spaces. We would like as many subscribers as possible to give their views so that the people who run the park are more aware of cyclists’ perspectives. A market research company will send you two surveys per year, each taking just ten minutes to complete, plus invitations to take part in optional activities such as polls, focus groups and interviews. The Royal Parks Panel is online only and TRP says the feedback will help it to create “positive experiences for visitors”. You can sign up here.

• Kingston Council is bringing back road closures which enable children to play safely in the streets where they live. As we reported in December 2019, it was pleasing to see the heavily congested King’s Road, which is frequently a scene of confrontation between people heading to and from the park, transformed into a peaceful oasis for one day a month. If you are a local resident and want to help our pals The Friends Of Kingston Gate make King’s Road a play street again this autumn, or you would like another road closed to allow kids to enjoy themselves, please apply here by Sunday, October 13.

• LimeLight Sports Club, the organiser of The London Duathlon, is asking for volunteers to issue race packs, marshall arrivals, man water stations and distribute post-event products at the race in Richmond Park on Sunday, September 4. You’ll get food and refreshments, a sports cap and a discounted price for an LSC event in 2023. Register here to sign up. 

• Wheels For All, which offers cycling to adults and children who have a disability, is recruiting volunteers for its new project in Kingston. It will start offering sessions in September. Take a look at what the charity does and see if you can be part of it. 

• A few people that we ride with in Richmond Park are taking part in the third annual Black Unity Bike Ride, an inclusive 15-mile event from Leyton to Brockwell Park on Saturday. Have a look at their website if you want to help out, either as a ride marshall or a ground support volunteer. 

A RICH HISTORY

It was a pleasure to finally meet Dr Richard Carter and Richard Evans, two former leading lights of the Friends Of Richmond Park, for a chat at Pembroke Lodge a couple of weeks ago. Dr Carter, the organisation’s former chair, gave us a copy of the Friends’ Manifesto On Traffic In The Park from October 2000, which recommended curbing through traffic, an internal transport system and traffic calming near the gates to make it easier for pedestrians to cross – all of which are remarkably similar to our vision.

The manifesto has not been available online for some years and we had never heard about it until the two Richards, who are both subscribers, got in touch. We’ll put the ten-page document on our website in the near future. In the meantime, here are some fascinating historical facts contained within which show just how consistent the opposition to through traffic has been over the decades – and what lessons Richmond Park Cyclists can draw from the duo’s experiences to strengthen our campaign.

• 1972: The Department of the Environment rejects proposals to reduce traffic in the park made by The Brentford And Chiswick Pedestrians’ Group as “too far-reaching”. The DoE said the park’s authorities would consider “closing certain gates and further sections of roads to traffic” – but nothing came of it.

• 1993: The Government sets up The Royal Parks Agency, as The Royal Parks was then known. A report by consultants Halcrow-Fox for the Department of Transport recommended selected road closures. Again, no action was taken.

• 1996: The Royal Parks Review, chaired by former National Trust chair Dame Jennifer Jenkins, describes motor traffic as a “cordon of steel” dividing the central wilderness area from the remaining acres. Making a strong case for traffic restrictions, the report said: “This stretch of countryside, itself quite extraordinary within a world city, is undermined by noise, pollution, congestion and danger from cars, all aspects of the surrounding great city which most visitors have come to escape.” 

• 1998: The Royal Parks Review concluded that there was inadequate information to make specific recommendations, so the RPA commissioned a report by Peter Brett Associates. It showed, for the first time, that through traffic constitutes a massive proportion of the motor vehicles in the park – between 94 and 98 per cent at weekday peak periods and 80 per cent at weekends. (TRP’s traffic report in March 2017, which came before the current Movement Strategy to recalibrate the use of roads in the Royal Parks, produced similar results – depending on the time of day, between 68 and 91 per cent of motor vehicles in Richmond Park are using it as a shortcut.) The consultancy’s report recommended closing gates, the closure of individual road links, one-way circulation and road pricing.

• 1999: The Richmond Park Forum is set up by Kingston, Wandsworth and Richmond councils in response to the PBA report. Sadly, as the Friends’ manifesto states, it had “effectively only one aim: opposition to road closures in the park”.

One of the charges levelled at us and other cycling advocacy groups is that we only want to remove through traffic so that we can have the roadway all to ourselves, which of course is untrue. So it is encouraging to learn that there have been FOUR recommendations to tackle the traffic issue, and none of them have come from cycling groups (indeed, the Friends’ manifesto does not mention cyclists at all). Over a period of 40 years, it is clear that many have wanted what you and ourselves want: a more tranquil and pleasant Richmond Park for everyone which can be delivered by the removal of through traffic.

And, of course, times change. Active travel, safe commuting routes for cycling, equality of access to roads, less reliance on cars, healthier lifestyles and traffic evaporation – all these factors have become stronger arguments for ending through traffic since the manifesto was published more than 20 years ago.

But more importantly, the two Richards were elected to the committee of the Friends – then, as now, probably the most influential pressure group connected to the park – and subsequently produced its manifesto. As mentioned in our previous two bulletins, today’s leadership of the Friends is rather more reticent to state where it stands on dealing with through traffic. We remain hopeful that once TRP makes its announcement on the current trials in the autumn, FRP will begin to create a road policy setting out a vision for the movement of vehicles and people in the park. But if it does not, perhaps encouraging our subscribers to join the Friends and democratically pushing for change on this issue might be an effective option. We shall see.

INCIDENTS, ACCIDENTS, FINES AND CRIMES

Time for a rundown of the latest report from the park’s police. For newer subscribers, these reports are presented every quarter-year to the park’s Police Panel and list every incident officers attended, as well as any arrests, fines and verbal warnings. 

We publish details of each one after we have attended the Police Panel. The priorities for the police over the next three months, as agreed by the panel when it met three weeks ago, are motor vehicle speed, wildlife protection and trade vehicles. 

• As reported in the last RPC bulletin, there was another bike-jacking carried out by a pair on a moped. The pillion passenger jumped off and showed the cyclist what appeared to be a large knife. After the victim threw his bike to the ground, the pair picked it up and rode off. The incident took place near Ladderstile Gate, going towards Dark Hill, on Thursday, June 2 at 4.25pm. If you have any information please call 101 and quote crime reference 0406215/22. The police have increased visible patrols and once again involved Operation Venice, the specially trained Met unit that uses tactical force to disable moped related crime.

• A bike which had been locked outside Colicci was stolen while the owner went for a walk on May 5. 

• There were 55 drivers fined or warned for excessive speed, 36 for driving around the barriers, eight charged for driving without due care and attention or driving to endanger any person, and six for having no insurance.  Additionally, 156 motorists were warned or fined for driving an unauthorised trade vehicle in the park.

• The police warned 177 cyclists for venturing off track and three were fined.

There were 11 cycling accidents reported. Of the six that involved another party, four were treated as serious collisions:

• On April 2 near the ballet school, a stag being chased by a dog tried to jump over a cyclist, knocking him into another rider. He suffered cuts to his elbow as well as pain in his buttocks and hip.

• A driver stopped on Sawyer’s Hill on 20 April due to deer in the road. A cyclist went into the rear of the car. Their injuries were cuts to their fingers and reddened knee cap.

• A cyclist dropped an item on Sawyer’s Hill on 24 April. When they stopped suddenly to pick it up, another rider went into his bike from behind, sending the first cyclist over the handlebars, suffering possible broken ribs.

• On May 1, a cyclist going up Broomfield Hill on the wrong side of the road was left with broken ribs after being hit by two riders descending it. One of the pair had grazes and cuts, the other memory loss, bruises and scrapes.

’SHAW ANSWER

What form of alternative transport operating across the park could be offered to those who are unable to participate in active travel? Sarah Olney, the Lib Dem MP for Richmond Park, suggests the answer could be rickshaws.

Sarah mentioned in her newsletter a couple of weeks ago that she has met with Transport Minister Judy Harrison to discuss regulating the vehicles, sometimes referred to as pedicabs, which are a common sight in central London. They are unregulated due to a legal anomaly, which means they are not insured and the price of fares is often inconsistent.  

Safe, legal, pedal-powered cabs for park visitors who wish to explore another part of the park or cannot easily transition to cycling is a concept which should be explored. If the government progresses with regulation, the park’s management should examine the practical issues, in particular whether sections of the Quietway are too narrow to accommodate the vehicles alongside cyclists and pedestrians, and if they need  electric motor assistance to navigate the hills. But it’s a helpful idea, and we hope something comes of it.

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. 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

RPC Bulletin #54, July 2022

Each month, we email a bulletin to everyone who has signed up on this site. Below is the edition that we sent in July 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… +++ Come to our meeting – or ride with us! +++ Improving crossing areas for pedestrians +++ Record your rides in the park to help improve safety +++ The Friends Of Richmond Park: a response from an old Friend +++ 

JOIN THE GANG

It’s time for our next quarterly public meeting, which will take place as usual at La Ciclista in Sheen. Come along on Sunday, July 24 from noon – as always, this is your chance to meet us and talk about what you would like us to bring up with the park’s management when we have our regular catch-up with them a few days later. Sgt Pete Sturgess from the park’s police unit will also attend the meeting with management, so if there are any policing matters you want us to discuss, then please come along. Or if you simply want to say hi and have a coffee with us, then you would be welcome to join us!

And from this month, you can also ride with us – we’ll be at the Chain Gang Cyclists’ monthly event in Richmond Park, meeting outside Colicci at 8am on the same day. Chain Gang are a welcoming, friendly and diverse group of people, and their Sunday Brunch social ride is perfect if you want to start riding with others, regardless of your ability or experience. Find out more about the event and sign up on Strava (it’s easy to set up a Strava account if you don’t already have one) and check out CGC on Instagram. And If you do decide to come along, look out for our distinctive helmet!

ROBBERIES ALERT

There has been another bike-jacking – but unlike the spate of violent incidents that blighted the park last October, this appears to be an isolated incident.

It took place on Dark Hill, near Ladderstile Gate, going towards Dark Hill on Thursday, June 2 at 4.25pm. Two people on a moped followed a cyclist, then cut in front of them and stole their bike. You can see what it looks like here.

The police have yet to identify the suspects. Officers from Operation Venice, which tackles moped-enabled crime, were made aware of the robbery but did not actively patrol the park.

In an appeal for witnesses, dash cam or bike cam footage, the park’s police said: “The suspects were described as approximately 25 years old, male, wearing a black coat, grey jogging bottoms, with a white or light grey helmet. Any information please call 101 and quote crime reference 0406215/22.”

Meanwhile, bicycles worth in the region of £10,000 have recently been stolen from several properties near to the park in the SW15 area. If you have a high-value bike in your home, Sgt Pete Sturgess from the park’s police advises you to make sure it is secured with a good-quality lock and, if possible, use a motion-sensor CCTV that sends an alert to your phone when activated.

CROSS PURPOSE

The Royal Parks’ principle of pedestrian priority is a key aspect of Richmond Park Cyclists’ approach to riding in the park. Supporting it provides a strong counter-argument to the exaggerated claim that people who cycle regularly in the park want the road all to themselves. And, of course, it makes the roadway more welcoming for pedestrians. 

To this end, and with TRP’s plans for road improvements emerging from its ongoing Movement Strategy trials, we submitted ideas to the park’s management to enhance areas of the roadway where the number of people wanting to cross the road is greatest. The aim is to encourage more road users, particularly cyclists, to give way at junctions, next to gates and near car parks by creating a sense of shared space. Our ideas build on the broad outline of our vision which we submitted to TRP more than a year ago.

Here is what we suggested:

• Additional and enhanced raised pedestrian crossings next to the car parks.

• Zebra crossings without Belisha beacons; or a green surface on the crossing points suggesting pedestrian priority.

• Signs encouraging road users to share the space, situated next to car parks and vehicle gates, to indicate the park’s roadway should be treated distinctly to a regular road..

• Perpendicular fencing, which seems to narrow the road without actually doing so, thereby suggesting road users should lower their speeds.

• Speed humps, if used, should have a shallower initial rise. This type of hump, known as sinusoidal, is safer as it avoids the high differential in speed between motorists and cyclists caused when approaching a sharper hump.

• Symbols of cyclists painted on the road and roadside signage reminding drivers of the required 1.5 metre gap for overtaking.

We will discuss these ideas when we meet Paul Richards, the park’s new manager, later this month.

NOTE FROM AN OLD FRIEND

The leadership of the Friends of Richmond Park have declined to respond to the item in last month’s bulletin which explained why we think the highly influential pressure group should develop a clear vision for the roadway that is in keeping with their founding principle: “No concessions at all must be made to motorists who wish to use the roads of Richmond Park as a throughway.” But a former chair of the group has provided a small correction – and revealed an intriguing historical note.

Dr Richard Carter, who was chair from 2000 to 2003, writes: “You refer, correctly, to ‘the unwillingness of the Friends' leadership to clearly outline a policy on traffic and other movement in the park,’ but it wasn't always like that. In the 1990s and early 2000s, the Friends were effectively taken over by a group led by the Campaign Against Traffic in the Park (CATIRP), and tried to introduce a very different attitude to traffic than by the then leadership. In 2000, we produced a manifesto which set out a series of ideas that are entirely consistent with Richmond Park Cyclists’ response to the Movement Strategy.”

Dr Carter has sent us PDFs of a couple of the manifesto’s pages, which to our knowledge have never appeared on the internet or social media, and there are indeed striking similarities to our vision, such as an internal transport service for the park. We are meeting with Dr Carter later this month, and we hope to see the full manifesto. With his permission, we hope to share it with you.

The world was a very different place two decades ago in regard to attitudes to active travel and the unwillingness to explore alternatives to motor vehicles. The time has surely come for some of the ideas adopted by the Friends back then to bear fruit – and perhaps give its present leadership the confidence to publicly support the removal of through traffic once the Movement Strategy ends in the autumn.

CAMERAS, ACTION

How many close passes and incidences of aggressive driving do cyclists encounter in the park each year? The truth is, no one knows – but we could have a clearer idea if more bad driver behaviour is captured on camera and reported to the Met police.

Footage of unsafe driving in the park sometimes appears on social media. But when the Met receive details of an incident, they usually ask that such clips are not posted, which means the incidents in these videos may not have been reported. Meanwhile, the quarterly police figures only include incidents that the park’s officers have witnessed or been called to attend. And, of course, every time you are at the receiving end of some dodgy driving in the park and you simply brush it off, as many of us do, there is no official record of it happening.

As reported in May’s bulletin, we have started to film some of our rides in the park – and in just one hour over the Easter Bank Holiday we captured two incidents that resulted in the drivers receiving notices of intended prosecution. 

If you have a video camera on your bike, we encourage you to send footage of any incidents in the park to the Met police. It is easy to upload clips to their online portal, and it only takes a few minutes to fill out the form. We would also like you to email the footage to us so we have a record of these incidents. Then, at a later date, we would like to submit a Freedom of Information request to uncover how many drivers have been reported and prosecuted.

To be clear, you are significantly less likely to encounter bad driving on the park’s roadway than on typical London roads. But poor or aggressive driving makes Richmond Park’s roads less accessible to unconfident or vulnerable riders. Figures for road incidents would strengthen our case for removing through traffic, thereby making the park more welcoming for every kind of cyclist. 

FOURTH TIME LUCKY

Cementing its position as the longest-running item in our bulletins, the case of the cyclist who was left with a broken scapula, a fractured shoulder and a written-off bike after a driver tried to U-turn on Broomfield Hill has been pushed back a fourth time. The court hearing is now scheduled for August 22 – a full 13 months after the incident. The driver has pleaded not guilty, and the cyclist has now been asked to appear in court. Fingers crossed that the next time this case appears in our newsletter will be the last – and that the outcome is a good one.

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. 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

RPC Bulletin #53, June 2022

Each month, we email a bulletin to everyone who has signed up on this site. Below is the edition that we sent in June 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… +++ Why the Friends of Richmond Park’s stance on through traffic matters +++ Surveys on traffic trials +++ Time trials return +++ Accident round-up +++ Notice on bike thieves +++ 

A FRIENDLY SUGGESTION

Who said this? “No concessions at all must be made to motorists who wish to use the roads of Richmond Park as a throughway.”

This statement, as we revealed on Twitter on Tuesday, was made by the Friends of Richmond Park (FRP) when it was founded in 1961. Today, with the relatively high levels of through traffic seriously affecting many visitors’ enjoyment of the park, it would seem vital for the present leaders of the organisation to have a clear vision for the roadway that is in keeping with their founding principles. So we recently asked them to create a road policy for the park – which, sadly, they have declined to do. In our view, this is a mistake that has ramifications for all sides of the debate on through traffic – whether you choose to ride a bike in Richmond Park or not.

We formally made our request at FRP’s annual general meeting which took place via Zoom last month. Our question was this: 

“Would the Friends formally develop and adopt a visionary, sustainable transport policy that will cover movement within the park, getting to and from the park, through traffic and timescales?”

Our suggestion was read out by one of the people chairing the meeting (none of the attendees who submitted questions could ask them directly or respond to the answers). Trustee Nick Coleman responded. He began by establishing that FRP’s “fundamental starting point” is the “balance” between “protecting the environment of the park” and “public benefit”. What follows is a complete transcript of the rest of Nick’s answer:

“The Friends stands for finding a way of doing both. And on the public benefit half of that, the Friends stands for, as I said, a balance between park users – how they access the park, how they get around the park, no one group dominates. 

“But on the park roads, there’s also the hierarchy I mentioned – wildlife first, then pedestrians, then cyclists, then vehicles – and each of these must not be disadvantaged by the rest. That’s where the Friends stands on this, and as I said, this is very much like The Royal Parks’ policy. And next up, the Friends has always been in favour of reducing through traffic. 

“So there you have a package of existing policies to do with our balance, to do with the hierarchy and to do with through traffic. And we don’t see a need to revise these or package them up or add any more to this package of policies which has stood us well so far. And we, on top of that, don’t think it’s necessary, a good idea to go through any more changes right now when the current road changes – the largest in a generation, if I may say so – have already, have not actually been finalised, let alone settled in, and it would be premature to move beyond those and start thinking about more changes when this lot is still actually going through.” 

This is a plan of inaction, and its justification is undermined by a central contradiction. Because the road hierarchy is not designed to be balanced – in a hierarchy one or more groups are by definition disadvantaged relative to the others. Pedestrians and cyclists are meant to have greater freedom of the roadway than motorists. An eradication of through traffic, which is what we are asking for, would fully achieve this aim.

And the stance of FRP’s leaders on the road hierarchy is not “very much like” The Royal Parks’. TRP’s road hierarchy is the foundation of the Movement Strategy, which produced the ongoing traffic trial. FRP’s current leadership, on the other hand, has never set out a vision for the park’s roads, and will only go as far as “being in favour of reducing through traffic” – which could mean they are perfectly happy to keep the route between Kingston and Richmond gates as a frequently busy, seven-days-a-week shortcut for motorists, as long as the rest of the restrictions remain. In essence, TRP used the road hierarchy to stimulate change; FRP’s leaders appear to see it as the basis for maintaining the status quo.

As for it being “premature” to go beyond the current changes to the roadway, post-pandemic traffic patterns outside the park are now well established, and the trials will have been in force for more than two years when they finally conclude in the autumn. It is encouraging that since its AGM, the Friends have stated in its newsletter: “In our view, the benefits and the public support are sufficient to implement the trials on a permanent basis.” But If FRP’s leaders won’t publicly state now how they would like to see the roadway used in the future, particularly in regard to removing through traffic, will they ever do so?

The unwillingness of FRP’s leadership to clearly outline a policy on traffic and other movement in the park has, we believe, an impact on local democracy. Many people, like us, want to eliminate shortcut journeys; others might want to drive their cars wherever and whenever they like and rid the park of cyclists. But what everyone spanning those two opposites has in common is an instinctive belief that local politicians and stakeholders connected to the park are key to bringing about change. In fact, if you talk to some people with long-standing experience of local civic matters, they will tell you that any change in the park usually has to come with the blessing or involvement of FRP; indeed, one of the first things mentioned at the organisation’s AGM was its continued influence. So FRP could be more influential on the issue of through traffic than elected officials or other stakeholder groups. The public deserves to know where the Friends stand. 

We set out our vision for the park some time ago. Less access to car parks, shuttle buses, hire bike docking stations and, of course, no through traffic are among the key elements. You can read it here. Could those leading the Friends of Richmond Park follow suit – and in doing so, fulfil the remit of their founders?

If the Friends would like to respond, we will happily publish their words in our next newsletter.

BAFFLED BY QUESTIONS

As mentioned in our extra bulletin a couple of weeks ago, The Royal Parks unexpectedly decided to extend the traffic trials in Richmond Park and its other green spaces until the autumn and carry out face-to-face surveys to find out how visitors would like to see the traffic-restricted areas used.

Among a range of questions, respondents were asked if they thought the air was cleaner and the park seemed quieter than it did before the trials. Such questions could only be answered by visitors who had knowledge of what the park was like before the trials.The key question asked how visitors thought the roads which are currently closed to traffic seven days a week or at weekends only might be used in future if the trial restrictions are made permanent.  The questionnaire was generic for all surveys undertaken across the Royal Parks.  

We had earlier learned that Mat Bonomi, TRP’s former Head of Transport who instigated the Movement Strategy, is back on board for a limited time to finalise the trials. Mat knows his stuff, so his involvement is encouraging. Nevertheless, the emergence of the surveys is a baffling twist in the long-running saga of the Movement Strategy. Why did TRP not do these interviews much earlier, given that the trials started in July 2020? Will they generate any useful information? And will the range and number of respondents be a representative sample size? We’re keen to learn more about these factors in the coming months.

ALL-INCLUSIVE DEAL

At the Richmond Park Stakeholders Meeting, where the extension to the trials was announced, TRP revealed it is working on a five-year plan. Tom Jarvis, the Head of Parks, did not give many details, although we were encouraged to see that one of the organisation’s values, listed on a graphic presented to us and the other attendees, was being “inclusive”. This is key to our approach too, as we want everyone to feel they can ride a bike on the park’s roadway, regardless of their level of confidence. In that context, the presence of through traffic is a barrier for many. We hope TRP realises that by having the courage to remove through traffic, the park’s roads would become more inclusive.

TT TIME

They’re back, pals! After a Covid-enforced hiatus of three years, London Dynamo’s two annual time trials are returning to Richmond Park, with the first taking place on Saturday, June 26 and the second on Saturday, July 10. You can still ride on the park’s roads during both 10.4-mile events, which are sanctioned by TRP, but please be aware there will be more cyclists around than you may usually expect to see between 6am and 7:30am. And if you have never time-trialled before, these largely traffic-free events are the perfect introduction – you don’t even need a TT bike to take part (but please note that aero bars and helmets are not permitted in the road bike category, and rims may be no more than 50mm deep). Entries fill up fast, so head over to Rider HQ, pick a category and nab a place for this month’s event. Entries for the second time trial are scheduled to open on Friday, 10 June at 12.30pm. Best of luck!

SUN AND REIGN

With the four-day Jubilee Bank Holiday upon us, it seems likely that the park’s roads will be clogged with cars if the weather is nice. The park’s management has recently increased its supervision of additional traffic, employing contractors to shut car parks after they fill up, closing gates when queues cause disruption and communicating the situation via social media. We would also like them to work with local councils on a plan to minimise the disruption to nearby residents when motorists can no longer enter the park, and when they are leaving in large numbers due to the car parks closing. And to help those who are confronted by nose-to-tail Bank Holiday traffic when they come to the park to ride their bikes, maybe the message on social media should be more direct: do not drive to the park unless you absolutely have no other choice.

ACCIDENT ROUND-UP

Five items of injury-related news – and sadly, one of the victims is in a very serious condition.

• At around 5pm on Friday, May 13, a cyclist was riding across Sheen Cross from Sheen Gate towards the ballet school when a driver heading from Roehampton to Richmond clipped his back wheel, causing him to come off. The cyclist was taken to hospital with a broken leg.

• The following day a pedestrian crossing the road which runs between Pen Ponds and Robin Hood Gate was hit by a cyclist who was heading south. The pedestrian was taken to hospital with a suspected dislocated shoulder.

• On Sunday, May 22, an air ambulance attended the scene of an accident outside the park. Police were called at 8:15am following a collision involving a cyclist and a pedestrian in his early 30s on Priory Lane, at the junction with Clarence Road. The Wandsworth Times reported the victim’s condition as “life-threatening”. Investigations are ongoing. The cyclist had minor grazes on his leg.

• The driver of a BMW who collided with cycling instructor David Williams following a close pass in November was last week convicted for driving without due care and attention. Lavender Hill magistrates fined him £570 and put six points on his licence. You can watch David’s footage of the incident on Queen’s Road here. 

• As reported in last month’s bulletin, the case of the U-turning driver on Broomfield Hill is due to be heard on Friday, June 17 – 11 months after the crash which left the victim with a broken scapula, fractured shoulder and a written-off bike. The hearing has been adjourned three times – the last occasion at the request of the defendant for an unspecified reason.

FLUSH ’EM OUT

The park’s police unit has produced posters warning of bike thieves operating around the toilet block near Roehampton Gate. They are now on display on our noticeboard by the car park. Please note there has NOT been another spate of bike thefts – this is just general advice to be on your guard when popping to the loos. As ever, our tips are to carry a portable lock, or ask a friend to keep an eye on your bike, or take it into the toilet block with you. You can’t be too careful, pals!

A QUIET WORD

On a final note, a brief tip on descending on the Quietway from White Lodge to Sheen Cross. At busy times, vulnerable cyclists and pedestrians can be startled by fast-moving riders, and subscribers have voiced their concerns about this. So please show consideration, moderate your speed and leave a good gap as you pass.

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. 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

RPC Bulletin #52, May 2022

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

RPC Bulletin #51, April 2022

Each month, we email a bulletin to everyone who has signed up on this site. Below is the edition that we sent in April 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… +++ Tell canvassers what YOU think about through traffic +++ Impasse on Kingston Gate traffic +++ Code of Conduct to get update +++ 

BLANK CANVASS

The doormat of the RPC HQ has welcomed many political leaflets in recent weeks. Now comes the next stage: canvassers knocking on the door. But we’re actually looking forward to it – and so should you!

This is YOUR chance to tell those canvassing for the candidates in the forthcoming local elections what YOU think about through traffic in Richmond Park. If you think it should go completely, say so! 

One of us at RPC has worked alongside door-knockers for one of the major parties in the past. In our experience, they can have little or no knowledge of some local issues. So this is the perfect opportunity to inform them that high levels of motor vehicles taking a shortcut through the park make its roadway less hospitable for less confident cyclists and pedestrians, if that is what you think. And remember: there will be plenty of voters who will happily give canvassers a very different view to yours – so make good use of their time on your doorstep.

We’ll keep an ear out for anything candidates say regarding the park and relate it in the next bulletin, which will be the last one before the elections.

HEAD START

We’re having our next regular quarterly meeting with Richmond Park’s management on Wednesday, April 13 – and you can feed ideas you might like us to bring up by coming along to see us at La Ciclista on Sunday, April 10. We’ll be at the cafe from 8am until 9.30am. 

If you can’t make it but would like to chat with us face-to-face sometime, keep a lookout for a distinctive white helmet with the Richmond Park Cyclists logo. We’ve started wearing it in the park, and you may spot it on a table in Ciclista, Colicci or Fika while we refuel. Come say hi if you do!

KING’S DILEMMA

Calling all Kingstonians – and those who cycle through Kingston to get to the park! Our chums at The Friends Of Kingston Gate have told us that attempts to improve the overly busy eastern end of King’s Road, which leads to Kingston Gate, have reached an impasse. 

In April 2019, we reported that a bid to create a one-way system was thwarted. Then, in September of that year, a report by Kingston Council revealed that the road would not be included in an assessment for its Healthy Streets project, which aims to improve cycling in North Kingston, as it was subject to “on-going investigations'' (see p22 of the North Kingston Healthy Street Scheme report). Now, it seems, nothing is getting done. 

The current situation, with long queues of motor traffic and frequent angry confrontations between drivers trying to squeeze through non-existent gaps, is offputting for even the most experienced cyclists, so we hope that the FoKG, other locals and the council can find a solution.

Meanwhile, our pals at Kingston Cycling Campaign have dropped a note about dropping litter. They tell us that they are picking up used wrappers for energy bars and gels every day, so please make sure you tuck them into your pocket. Litter is a nuisance, especially in the park, where rubbish can harm the wildlife.

HERE WE CODE AGAIN

It’s been 13 months since the Code of Conduct for cycling in Richmond Park made its debut on our website – and it’s now due for a refresh, particularly to reflect changes to the Highway Code as well as The Royal Parks’ advice on cycling speeds. We’re drafting changes now, so take a look at the Code and let us know what you think could be improved to make riding in the park more welcoming for every type of cyclist.

WHEELS OF JUSTICE

A quick word on the slow-moving case of the cyclist descending Broomfield last July who ended up with serious injuries after trying to avoid a car whose driver was attempting a U-turn after ignoring the no entry sign at the top of the hill. The driver’s court appearance had been pushed back to March as he pleaded not guilty. Now it has been adjourned again, this time for Covid-related reasons, until April 24. We’ll let you know what happens next… 

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. 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

RPC Bulletin #50, March 2022

Each month, we email a bulletin to everyone who has signed up on this site. Below is the edition that we sent in March 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… +++ Movement Strategy trial ending +++ Police acting on drivers speeding at evenings to reach gates +++ Slippery roads update +++ Road restrictions for deer cull and toad migration +++ RPC mentioned on Road.cc podcast +++

50 SENT

Hello, and welcome to a landmark edition – the 50th Richmond Park Cyclists bulletin! And in a pleasing coincidence, it comes at a watershed moment for the park.

When these monthly missives began in July 2017, the park was a very different place. Motorists could use all of the outer roadway seven days a week, and we were arguing in favour of Intelligent Road Charging to tackle the huge levels of through traffic that had been identified in The Royal Parks’ draft report earlier that year. Those findings led to the Movement Strategy, TRP’s bid to restrict motor vehicle access to the roads in Richmond Park and its seven other green spaces to make them more suited to walking and cycling  – and this month sees the conclusion of the resultant traffic trials, which were extended for an additional year.

It seems likely that the current temporary measures will become permanent. The restrictions have removed through traffic from three-fifths of the outer roadway – which would be good progress if they are officially made permanent by TRP’s trustees at a meeting this month (and if the announcement is made before our next bulletin, we will mail out an extra newsletter with the details). But as we have said for some time, the custodians of the park could and should go further by removing through traffic completely – sooner rather than later.

Significantly, there are stakeholders and other interested parties who, privately, share that conviction. Ending shortcut journeys through the park is an achievable goal, and it is the right thing to do. We are confident that the added value to the park would outweigh any harm caused by traffic displaced outside which does not evaporate. Moreover, in the context of the climate emergency and continuing concerns over public health and wellbeing, making a National Nature Reserve available to through traffic by car is perverse. And as the temporary removal of motor vehicles during the first lockdown showed, people who rarely or never cycle will take to the park’s roads if the number of cars within it is dramatically reduced – and they will enjoy a more peaceful atmosphere.

TRP – a publicly funded charity – should seize the initiative and make the change that the public needs. Some of its trustees will get to read this bulletin, and we are also reaching out to them directly. 

As we continue to argue for the removal of through traffic, the vision for the park that we set out during the final public consultation to the Movement Strategy will be our guide. The ideas it sets out include a shuttle bus to provide access to various areas of the park, bike docking stations and better public transport options to get there. The full text is now on our website – take a look.

CLOSING SPEED

The police are stopping speeding drivers who were racing to leave after closing time, which is another great move that builds on our feedback.

As mentioned in November’s bulletin, Sgt Sturgess and his officers agreed to target drivers disobeying the road closure signs following our request. That priority for the final three months of last year was extended for the current quarter and enlarged to include all driver behaviour. Then, in mid-January, a subscriber told us they had seen motorists speeding in the evenings to get to their exit before it was locked, which we subsequently asked the police to address – and clearly they are now doing so. Thank you, officers!

We also asked the park’s management to review the process of closing the gates at night so that fewer drivers race to get out – and they have told us they are meeting with their contractors to deal with the situation. 

In the meantime, here’s a brief word about closing time on Saturdays and Sundays. Those of you who have happened to be at Roehampton Gate after it has been locked for the night may have witnessed motorists driving around the barriers and heading to Richmond Gate. We saw this a couple of weeks ago and assumed it was simply another case of drivers ignoring the keep out signs. In fact, the police tell stragglers to do this, as it is safer and more expedient to funnel the remaining traffic up Sawyer’s Hill and out of Richmond Gate rather than make drivers do a U-turn at Roehampton Gate, or queue up there and wait for it to be reopened. So please bear this in mind if you’re in the park at chucking out time at the weekend.

SLIDE IMPROVEMENT

The hazard signs warning of slippery roads were still up at the Roehampton Gate roundabout at the time of writing – but they may not be for much longer. 

The day after our last bulletin came out, the park’s management scrubbed and hosed down the roads, which they believe experienced a higher than usual build-up of winter grime due to a long run of dry weather. There has also been rain since then – and reports of cyclists slipping off have decreased considerably. 

Nevertheless, we aren’t out of the woods yet, so moderate your speed on corners. If you are unlucky enough to come off, please tell the police and give as many details as possible, including photos. Their online portal is quick and easy to use – and if the roads are still slippy, the police can use reports to escalate the issue. 

OI – HOPPIT!

A quick word about two wildlife-related road closures that may affect your riding in and around the park. 

• The gates are still locked between 8pm and 7:30am due to the ongoing deer cull. Because it began on the final Monday in January, rather than the traditional first Monday in February, the process is due to end by Monday, March 14. But the actual date could be sooner or later, as the length of the cull depends on the health of the herd. If we learn of a firmer date, we will announce it on our social media (links at the foot of this email). And remember: if you arrive at any of the gates shortly before they are locked, you should not enter unless you are absolutely certain you can easily reach your exit before 8pm. Our website has full details.

• The section of Church Road from the junction with Latchmere Lane to Ham Gate Avenue will be closed to all traffic between Monday, March 7 and Friday, April 1 due to the annual toad migration. Please enter the park via another route to avoid squishing our little green chums.

NOW HEAR THIS

On a final note, here is something for your listening pleasure. Our friend Tim Lennon from the Richmond Cycling Campaign mentioned us on the Road.cc podcast, while discussing the changes to the Highway Code, Richmond Park and a close pass in Ham Common involving his young daughter. Have a listen here (it starts at Tim’s segment of the podcast).

HERE’S TO THE NEXT 50 EDITIONS...

Thank you to everyone who has subscribed to these bulletins, whether you have just joined us or been a subscriber since the first edition almost five years ago. As ever, feel free to let us know what you think about 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

RPC Bulletin #49, February 2022

Each month, we email a bulletin to everyone who has signed up on this site. Below is the edition that we sent in February 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… +++ Those Highway Code changes +++ Mystery of falls on roundabout explained +++ Plan for new barriers and crossings +++ Police figures for road incidents +++ Deer cull starts a week early +++ Update on court case of Broomfield Hill driver +++ Our meeting with park’s management

ROAD-MANTIC GESTURE

Mark Valentine’s Day in your diary – because that’s when the Government launches its drive to promote the much-discussed changes to the Highway Code. Hopefully, the modest £500,000 advertising campaign will counter the numerous unhelpful misinterpretations (rounded up in Cycling Weekly’s handy myth-buster) and begin the long process of changing driver behaviour.driver behaviour. For a summary of the eight key changes, see here.

The new wording in Rule 66 regarding cycling two abreast, which now explicitly states it is permitted and often safer, mirrors what we had already set out in the cycling Code of Conduct, and as such bolsters our advice to those who ride in groups and pairs in Richmond Park.

To refresh your memory, the proposed rule in the new Highway Code advised: 

“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.”

In our joint representation with Cycling UK to the public consultation on the proposed changes to the Highway Code, we asked that Rule 66 should say:

“Cycling in groups no more than two abreast is permitted, safe and often assists drivers in presenting a shorter obstacle to pass than the same group riding single file.” 

Which is in line with the final wording:

“You can ride two abreast and it can be safer to do so, particularly in larger groups or when accompanying children or less experienced riders.”

There are exceptions, but the cyclists not following motorists have the right to decide what is an acceptable level of risk to themselves and to other park visitors in singling out:

“Be considerate of the needs of other road users when riding in groups [...] Be aware of drivers behind you and allow them to overtake (for example, by moving into single file or stopping) when you feel it is safe to let them do so.”

Taken together, the Highway Code changes provide a clear message to motorists driving in Richmond Park: pedestrians and cyclists have priority. They should also expect to encounter cyclists riding two abreast, and only negotiate them in a safe and respectful manner. We’re hopeful that, combined with effective policing, this will bring about positive change to the behaviour of some drivers who habitually close-pass.

SLIDE-LY BAFFLED

Why have so many cyclists fallen off at the roundabout by Roehampton Gate recently? We’ve had reports of more than a dozen incidents at this location, including one rider who broke their collarbone and ribs. There was widespread speculation that a single patch of oil or diesel was the culprit – but now it turns out others have come off at different roundabouts as well. 

Adam Curtis, the assistant manager of the park, has investigated the sites and concluded that there has been a build-up of tyre dust, mud, silt and possibly salt – the usual winter grime, in other words – without any rainfall to wash it away.

He adds: “We then get overnight dew where moisture in the air condenses on the colder road surface and combines with the odd spot of water drips from car exhausts. This lubricates the grime, and then in the mornings cyclists on slick tyres ride the corners without understanding the conditions.”

Park manager Simon Richards says they are looking at ways of getting the roundabouts washed. But this is likely to be a hazard on external roads too – indeed, we’ve seen the same telltale dark patches on various routes between Sheen Gate and Upper Richmond Road. So please get your winter tyres on, moderate your speed on corners, brake gradually – and be really careful when light rain finally comes…

DEER WE GO AGAIN

You may have been expecting the six-week deer cull to start next week, as the signs on the gates state that it usually commences on the first Monday in February. In fact, the cull began this week, as the park’s management did not want it to go too far into March. The usual safety restrictions are in force which govern when you can ride your bike through the park. Remember: if you arrive at any of the gates shortly before locking time, you should not enter unless you are absolutely certain you can easily reach your exit before 8pm. See our website for full details.

CONE AWAY

Simon Richards has asked for our views on a plan to replace the temporary plastic barriers and cones with timber gates, posts and fencing. The installations are scheduled to begin next month, around the time the Movement Strategy’s traffic trials come to an end. The new constructions are demountable (enabling the roads to be cleared of road furniture for events such as the London Duathlon), and are subject to approval by The Royal Parks’ board of trustees – so they could be removed altogether. Nevertheless, the fact that these major works are on the horizon is an indication that the traffic trials will be made permanent.

Signage will clearly communicate the restrictions on through movement, which will make it easier for the police to fine motorists who drive on the closed roads, and reflective material will make them visible at night. We liked what we saw, which included permanent cycling slipways at the road edge, measuring at least 1.5 metres wide.

There are a number of other works planned, pending trustees’ approval:

• New crossings, marked in red, to support pedestrian priority. We have asked for sinusoidal ramps (the rounded kind, with no edges) and gentler rumble strips which would not discomfort children, the disabled or any other rider who cannot stand out of their saddle or chair. The first crossing favoured for installation could be from Roehampton Gate car park to the main body of the park.

• A wide footway on the bridge over Beverley Brook (which is between Roehampton Gate and Sheen Cross) where pedestrians currently have to walk in the road. The remaining roadway will no longer have room for two-way traffic, so movement from Roehampton Gate towards Richmond Gate will have priority. Motorists coming in the other direction will have to stop, but cyclists should be able to filter through. Like the crossing at Roehampton Gate car park, this installation is favoured for prioritisation.

• Demarcation of the road between Sheen Cross and Sheen Gate, and lowering the speed limit from 20mph to 10mph. The proposal was for one third of this section of the roadway to be a pedestrian walkway and the rest to become a two-way cycleway. However, after speaking with Tim Lennon of the Richmond Cycling Campaign, we jointly expressed the view to the park management that separate lanes for cyclists would create an unconscious sense of entitlement which would lead to increased speeds. A shared use space, once pedestrians and cyclists are settled in, would be a better solution. We see this in action on the Quietway from Sheen Cross to Ham Cross, which is narrower than this section.

• RCC has also helped us with countering TRP’s proposal that motorists entering the car parks at Sheen Gate and Broomfield Hill should have right of way across oncoming pedestrians and cyclists. This is contrary to the prioritisation of the most vulnerable road users in the new Highway Code. As with the established Quietway from Sheen Cross to Ham Cross, the give and take of shared use is the answer.

DRIVING FORWARD

In October, when setting their priorities for the quarter-year, the park’s police agreed to our suggestion of targeting drivers who ignore the no entry signs on the roadway. We are pleased to say they have now enlarged that priority for the forthcoming quarter to include all types of road behaviour. Additionally, we will be writing to Sgt Pete Sturgess about drivers speeding in the park at night to get to gates before they close after one of our subscribers was dangerously close-passed.

Here is a rundown of all the road-related incidents in October, November and December, as presented to the police panel last month:

• A total of 273 trade vehicles were issued with fixed penalty notices for illegally driving in the park.

• There were 46 drivers fined or warned for excessive speed, 70 for driving around the barriers, two apprehended for driving a vehicle to endanger any person, and three for having no insurance.

• As we reported in December’s bulletin, 53-year-old cycling instructor David Williams was driven off Queen’s Road moments after being subjected to a close pass. He warned the driver by banging on the car with his hand. The motorist dropped back and closely passed him again, knocking him off. David, who recorded the incident on his bike camera, was left with a broken collarbone, bruising, and a shattered helmet. The case is pending.

• Two drivers collided on Queen’s Road on November 23rd. One of the drivers, who was elderly, became blinded by the low sun and crossed the centre of the road into the path of the oncoming car. On the same road the following month, two other motorists collided. One admitted they were distracted by a deer, and is likely to be prosecuted for driving without due care and attention.

• On December 20th at Pembroke Lodge car park, a driver hit two parked cars which were shunted into a couple of pedestrians who sustained cuts and bruises.

• There were a number of cycling accidents that did not involve another party. One cyclist was left with a shoulder injury and chest pain after hitting a roadside post. Another had a seizure, fell and broke their clavicle. A third fell on Queen’s Road, cracking their helmet and suffering concussion.

• A cyclist descending Dark Hill on October 9th crashed into another rider coming in the opposite direction. The oncoming cyclist, who was said to be on the wrong side of the road, suffered a broken collarbone.

• On Boxing Day, a motorist slowed down on Queen’s Road to allow geese to cross when a cyclist hit the rear window and went through it. They were bruised and lost teeth.

• 40 cyclists were warned or apprehended for reaching excessive speeds for the road or traffic conditions. 

• The police warned 100 cyclists for venturing off track. This is a persistent cause of soil erosion, so please remember to stick to the track and advise others to do so.

Once again, the quarterly figures show that cyclists are open to greater danger in the park, mainly because of interaction with motor traffic – the majority of which is using the park as a shortcut – which adds to risk to life and limb.

BACK FOR SECONDS

Thanks to those of you who came to our second public meeting, and to La Ciclista for hosting again. Apologies to everyone for the short notice of the announcement – it would have been organised sooner had we not taken some time off in December.

The ideas we received from our subscribers were fed into our meeting with Simon Richards, the manager of Richmond Park, which also covered a wide range of other topics. Here is a rundown of what we talked about.

• There will be an access audit in the next year, which will look at how the pedestrian gates might be improved to help disabled visitors and those on cargo bikes enter and exit the park. The last one was carried out around 25 years ago.

• The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has written to the park’s management requesting details of the positive impacts that the proposed parking charges could have on the park’s environment. The proposals, which we are backing, cannot be implemented until MPs debate them in Parliament, and the information DCMS has requested could bolster the case for the charges.

• Richmond Council is monitoring air quality in the park as part of its borough-wide programme. (We later spotted one of the monitors – a small vessel that looks like a test tube – attached to the signpost for Holly Lodge on Sawyer’s Hill.) This is important, as emissions are likely to be a factor in our aim to rid the park of through traffic.

• Campaigners are concerned about recent works on Kew Bridge which have reduced the available footway for walking and cycling. They note that many who head to the park from north of the river cross at the bridge, and that The Royal Parks encourages visitors to use sustainable transport. We asked the park’s management to send a supportive statement to that effect which could aid the community representatives’ aims to improve the bridge for cyclists and pedestrians.

• Trialling one through traffic-free day a week – probably a Sunday – could be a possibility, but will not be considered until the traffic trials conclude next month. TRP’s trustees will meet mid-March to decide if the current restrictions are made permanent, although we do not yet know the exact date.

Thank you to Simon for the useful chat. We will let you know when we have fixed a date for the next quarterly meeting, and a public meeting prior to that which you are welcome to attend.

LONG MARCH TO JUSTICE

Remember the cyclist descending Broomfield Hill who ended up with a broken scapula, a fractured shoulder and a bent bike after trying to avoid a car whose driver had ignored the no entry sign at the top because he was allegedly following his sat-nav (and was attempting a U-turn when the rider hit his vehicle)?

We optimistically announced a couple of weeks ago that it was judgement day as the driver was in court and was expected to provide a guilty plea… but instead he pleaded not guilty. That means the case has now been pushed back to March – which is eight long months after the incident took place. The victim, who did not attend the hearing on January 17, is waiting to hear if he will have to go to court next month. We’ll keep you posted on how it turns out.

SEE YOU NEXT MONTH...

Well, that was a busy bulletin! 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. 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

RPC Bulletin #48, January 2022

Each month, we email a bulletin to everyone who has signed up on this site. Below is the edition that we sent in January 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.

HAPPY NEW YEAR – AND THANK YOU

We’ve been enjoying some time off over Christmas and New Year – and we hope you have too – but we couldn’t end 2021 without saying thank you to a few people.

🚴‍♀️ Firstly, to YOU. The ever-growing subscriber base for this monthly missive is incredibly important to us. It enables Richmond Park Cyclists to have a seat at the table among the park’s authorities and stakeholders, and create a meaningful dialogue with them. So thanks for subscribing – especially at this crucial time, with the traffic restriction trials coming to a conclusion in three months.

🚴Thank you to Simon Richards, the manager of Richmond Park, for taking the time to have regular quarterly meetings with us, and to his team for maintaining the roads, especially the de-icing of the tarmac on especially cold days recently. Thank you as well to Simon’s colleagues at The Royal Parks for their willingness to communicate and engage with us.

🚴🏾‍♀️Thanks to Sgt Peter Sturgess from the park’s police unit for agreeing to target drivers disobeying the road closure signs following our request. The deployment of unmarked cars with officers monitoring these infringements and unauthorised trade vehicles is much appreciated. And thank you to Sgt Pete’s colleagues from Operation Venice following the spate of attacks on cyclists by machete-wielding thieves on mopeds and scooters – the specialist unit’s high presence in the park has been seemingly successful.

🚴‍♂️We are the beneficiaries of expert knowledge and advice on a range of issues from Tim Lennon of the Richmond Cycling Campaign. Thank you, Tim, for your ongoing help and support in our bid to remove through traffic from the park.

🚴🏾‍♂️Lastly, thank you to our sponsors Cycle Exchange, Richmond Cycles, Bella Velo, Kingston Wheelers and Look Mum No Hands! for their support. Additional thanks to Pearson Performance, Sigma Sport and La Ciclista for stocking our Code of Conduct cards, and thank you to La Ciclista for hosting our first public meeting in the cafe.

Full bulletin service resumes at the beginning of February. In the meantime, hope you have a great year. Onwards and upwards in 2022! 

All the best,

Richmond Park Cyclists

RPC Bulletin #47, December 2021

Each month, we email a bulletin to everyone who has signed up on this site. Below is the edition that we sent in December 2021. 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… +++ Pollution in the park “dangerously high” +++ Are nearby external roads really as busy as some think? +++ Verbal abuse aimed at visitors to stables +++ Cyclist driven off road, and two motorists collide +++ Gates restricting access for cargo bikes +++ Dip your lights!

EYES ON THE ROADS

It’s our final bulletin of the year – and we would like to say thanks to all of you for subscribing to our monthly updates during 2021. In 2022, and with the Movement Strategy trials due to reach their conclusion in March, we will turn our attention to data covering road usage as we continue to build a case for ending through traffic. One key metric is likely to be pollution, with figures circulating on social media last week suggesting that levels within the park may be dangerously high. The Royal Parks points out that the figures are projections from 2013, not actual measurements of the current situation – to which the sensible response is, please measure the air quality in the park.

In the meantime, we are shooting video footage at random times of the week to explore the belief that the park must remain open to through traffic so it can relieve pressure on the local road network. The first clip, which we ran on social media last week, showed that most of Queen’s Road and Star And Garter Hill down to Ham was deserted on a weekday evening in rush hour. Take a look.

EMISSION STATEMENT

Returning briefly to the subject of pollution, The Royal Parks stated last month that carbon emissions from through traffic in the park have not been included in the measurement of the organisation’s carbon footprint. TRP was responding to questions fielded by Tim Lennon from the Richmond Cycling Campaign after he and ourselves attended the latest biannual stakeholder meeting, chaired by Tom Jarvis, the Director of Parks. 

Here are Tim’s questions and TRP’s replies. 

Will TRP be recruiting a new transport lead to replace Mat Bonomi (who introduced the Movement Strategy and left in April)?

A final decision on this recruitment has yet to be made.

When will a decision be made on the results of the Movement Strategy?

At the start of March 2021, we announced we would keep the measures to reduce cut-through traffic in place for another year until March 2022. We will monitor additional data to ensure a clear picture of the impact of the schemes, before determining whether they should be made permanent.

Will TRP make the trialled closures in Richmond and Bushy Parks permanent, and if not, why not?

As Q2

What is TRP’s plan to deliver on its commitment in the Movement Strategy to end the use of Richmond Park as a through route?

As Q2

Does TRP have a net zero plan? When will this deliver?

We are working on various initiatives to reduce carbon emissions, with a focus on the main sources contributing to our carbon footprint. Some of these projects will require feasibility assessments to identify the most appropriate solutions (e.g. replace the heating source in the Hyde Nursery) and will be medium term projects that are expected to start delivering carbon reductions by 2023/24. Other areas are quicker to achieve, such as specifying battery powered landscape maintenance tools (e.g. hedge trimmers, mowers).

What part does through traffic play in any carbon reduction strategies in Richmond Park? 

The carbon emissions from through traffic have not been included in our carbon footprint. We are currently focusing on the direct emissions from our operations and those from our contractors.

What data, qualitative or quantitative, will you use to make decisions on traffic in the park?  

We are engaging with TFL and LA’s regarding the availability and suitability of data to inform our decision-making process. We are monitoring additional data and information including incident statistics, monitoring how visitors use these new spaces, traffic and car parking management.

During the meeting itself, Tom and Simon Richards, the manager of Richmond Park, referred respectively to “comparing with the current situation” and “undertaking internal monitoring” regarding the usage of roads inside and outside the park during the current restrictions. And in a response to an enquiry on Twitter regarding the possibility of future policies on “reducing traffic dominance” in the park, TRP said it has “aspirations to take things further” than the current trials.

Even though TRP’s tweet did not relate solely to Richmond Park, could it signal a route towards our goal of eradicating through traffic? We’ll be investigating this tantalising prospect in the coming weeks and months.

UN-STABLE BEHAVIOUR

Now for an important clarification. In last month’s bulletin, we stated that drivers with permission to travel through restricted areas of the park have a permit displayed in their vehicle. A subscriber who has a horse at Holly Lodge contacted us to point out that this is not always the case – and she has experienced abuse from some cyclists who wrongly assume she is breaking the rules when she travels to and from the park’s stables.

In her email, she explained that she and many other authorised visitors are permitted to drive there at weekends – but The Royal Parks only issues permits to park staff. She says: “I have been verbally abused on numerous occasions, had cyclists deliberately block my way and punch my car, had someone throw something at my car and been followed on a dark morning to the gates of the yard. It's a truly horrible experience. Please also be aware that a therapy centre is run at Holly Lodge specialising in adults with learning difficulties. Obviously these people will find the abuse they get significantly more difficult.”

Another subscriber from the stables tells us: “Many of the riders – sadly, only the women – have reported abuse from cyclists when driving in.”

As we revealed last month, the park’s police have agreed with our request to prioritise the targeting of genuine rulebreakers who drive around the no-entry signs on roads. So please do not approach any driver, even if you suspect them of flouting the restrictions – and if you see any cyclist abusing a motorist, politely but firmly tell them to stop. Their actions can affect the reputation of us all.

TWO TOO MANY

There were two concerning incidents on the park’s roadway last month – one involving a cyclist. 

• On Thursday, November 11, at around 12.40pm, 53-year-old cycling instructor David Williams was driven off Queen’s Road moments after being subjected to a close pass. He was left with a broken collarbone, bruising, and a shattered helmet. You can read more on Kingston Nub News. If you witnessed the incident or have any information, call the police on 101 and quote the crime reference number TW/01/0000779/21.

• The second incident, in which two cars collided on Tuesday 23, also took place on Queen’s Road. We took footage of the damaged vehicles around 3:45pm. An officer at the scene said one of the drivers had been blinded by low sun. Thankfully, no one was injured – this time, at least.

Queen’s Road is the busiest part of the park’s roadway, and these incidents show, once again, why through traffic should be removed. Cyclists and pedestrians should not have to run the risk of being exposed to such dangers in a National Nature Reserve.

CARGO NO GO

A mum who cycled through the park last month in a cargo bike with three kids in tow tells us that she arrived at Kingston Gate at 4.55pm and found that only the kissing gate was open. This is standard procedure – the contractors who work for The Royal Parks lock the straight-through gates so that the deer do not leave. But as her cargo bike was too big to fit through the kissing gate, she and her kids were stuck in the park. So she called the police – who, thankfully, sent someone to unlock the gate.

Cargo bikes have become a commoner sight in recent years – and thanks to their practicality and usefulness, they are likely to become even more popular. Clearly, the park’s pedestrian gates should be adapted for them so they can be used at any time, just like other types of bike, and the park’s management assure us that they will consider doing this. We will speak to them about this issue in more detail when we have our next quarterly meeting with them in January.

LIGHT RELIEF

Finally, now that the nights are drawing in, here’s a brief request to make sure you don’t dazzle your fellow cyclists. 

A subscriber asked us to point out that unless dipped, your front lights can momentarily blind oncoming riders – and when we rode on the Quietway on a weekday evening last month, it was notable how often this happened in a relatively short space of time. 

Even though there is no street lighting in the park, it’s perfectly safe to use the standard setting and dip the angle, if not already adjusted to face the roadway, when passing riders going in the opposite direction. Your fellow cyclists will appreciate your courtesy.

SEE YOU NEXT MONTH...

All of us at RPC would like to wish you a happy Christmas and brilliant New Year. Everyone who receives these monthly missives is valuable, as without a subscriber base behind us our dialogues with The Royal Parks and stakeholders to improve the park for cycling and walking would be far more challenging. 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. 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.

See you in 2022,

Richmond Park Cyclists