RPC Bulletin #71, December 2023

Each month, we email a bulletin to everyone who has signed up on this site. Below is the edition that we sent in December 2023. 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… +++ Our proposal to improve narrow single lane +++ Data on safety of park’s roads +++ Disabled concerns raised in accessibility audit +++ Can you help out an athlete heading to Paralympics? +++ Planning application to be submitted for cafe site +++

Visit our sponsors: Bella Velo, Cycle Exchange, Kingston Wheelers, London Dynamo, Look Mum No Hands!, Pearson Cycles, Richmond Cycles, Evolve e-Bikes

CHANGING LANES

Last week a transport professional kindly spoke to us pro bono about ways to improve the safety and flow of cyclists over the contentious narrow single lane on Beverley Brook Bridge, which continues to be a source of conflict between road users. The discussion produced the idea of creating a new cycle lane going over the bridge towards Roehampton Gate. The roadway would shift to the right (facing Roehampton Gate), as would the existing wand-protected footpath, reducing it to a more conventional width that would still provide a safe space for pedestrians.

We have now written to park manager Paul Richards outlining the proposal and asked whether TRP’s consultants could sketch it out. We believe it would be to The Royal Parks’ credit to now take the lead on an adjustment having listened to extensive visitor feedback.   We know TRP wants to encourage, not discourage, active travel right across its estate. 

In a separate development, we have also written to Paul confirming that we are, as he requested, working on a proposal for a car-free day in September, and will be seeking the involvement of other community groups. As mentioned in last month’s bulletin, the concept is a family-friendly event enabling all types of cyclists and pedestrians to share the use of the park’s roadways.

DANGEROUS ASSUMPTIONS

We generally feel safer cycling inside the park compared to outside it, and we suspect you do too. As regular subscribers know, we believe there is a misreading of cycling accident statistics in the park which fails to take into account that it has far higher volumes of cyclists than those on typical roads.

We are in the early stages of investigating how much safer it is, and our early dive into data provided by the London Cycling Campaign, highlighting London’s most dangerous junctions measured by reported accidents, appears to confirm our experience. There are no junctions in Richmond Park that feature in London’s top 100 most dangerous for pedestrians or cyclists.   The park is especially safe for pedestrians as no junctions in the park feature in Richmond Borough’s 100 most dangerous junctions.

More on this when we have carried out our further research.

SHARING CONCERNS

The accessibility audit, which was announced by The Royal Parks a year ago, is now complete. While we have not yet seen the report itself, a summary of what was done and what was found has been posted on the website of the consultants, Proudlock Associates. You can read it here. 

According to the consultants, they were asked to identify negative consequences for disabled people arising from the traffic restrictions imposed as part of the wider Movement Strategy, and how those negative consequences might be eliminated. They looked at pedestrian gates around the perimeter of, and inside the park, car parks, toilets, road crossings, surfaces and the bus service.

Proudlock found that the Movement Strategy could “exacerbate existing issues” though it  only mentions two examples, first expressing concern where surfaces are shared by pedestrians and cyclists and, second, suggesting that public toilets could be improved.

There’s little further detail on the website which is disappointing, particularly as the perimeter gates are known to be problematic for disabled people and the issue of shared surfaces was rather left hanging as to what exactly the concerns are and how they might be resolved. So we will reserve judgement and ask for a copy of the full report to understand better the work that has been done.

ROE PROGRESS

A quick note on the gradual progression of plans to reconfigure the Roehampton Gate cafe site which was first mentioned way back in our December 2019 bulletin. Park manager Paul Richards told the park’s stakeholders meeting, which we attended, that The Royal Parks is aiming to seek planning permission in Spring next year to bring the cafe, cycle hire shop and toilets together. We will ask to be consulted once again before the application is submitted.

ROAD TO PARIS

A Team GB wheelchair racer who is training to compete in the 100 metre and 800 metre events in next year’s Paralympics in Paris is looking for cycling chaperones to protect her from traffic. Would you be able to help out?

Fabienne André trains in the park midweek and some Saturdays. The idea is to have a pool of helpers who she would email to seek a single volunteer for a session, which typically lasts one hour. You could be a regular or infrequent escort.

To find out more about Fab’s training schedule and ambitions, please email her at fabmail96@yahoo.co.uk.

PRESENT SENSE

Think of this as a useful little Christmas present for your bike which won’t cost you a penny. After dozens of cyclists turned up to get their bicycles registered on the national security database last month, the police will be returning to Pembroke Lodge on Saturday, December 16 between 11am and 1pm offering the same free service (check our social media channels closer to the event in case the time changes). 

Getting your bike marked is a disincentive for thieves and, in the event of theft, greatly increases the chance of your pride and joy being returned to you if it is recovered. So get yourself down there!

NEW YEAR’S RESTITUTION

Want to give back to the park next year? The Royal Parks is looking for volunteers to remove brambles encroaching into the grassland where woodpeckers feed. Volunteers would work from 10am until 1pm, with a possible extension until 3pm, on the following provisional dates: January 18, January 24, February 8 and February 9. Email volunteering@theroyalparks.org.uk, and please copy us in (richmondparkcyclists@gmail.com), if you can help out.

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 #70, November 2023

Each month, we email a bulletin to everyone who has signed up on this site. Below is the edition that we sent in November 2023. 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… +++ Deer cull starts TONIGHT +++ Car-free day proposal +++ Safer Riding Guide launch +++ Rundown of road incidents from police stats +++ New bike racks +++ Roads swept ahead of winter +++ Concerns over anger directed at motorists on restricted roads +++ 

Visit our sponsors: Bella Velo, Cycle Exchange, Kingston Wheelers, London Dynamo, Look Mum No Hands!, Pearson Cycles, Richmond Cycles, Sigma Sports Electric

REMEMBER, REMEMBER…

…it’s the first of November, which means that the park will be completely closed from 8pm tonight as the biannual deer cull begins. As usual, the gates will be shut daily for the public’s safety between 8pm and 7.30am for approximately six weeks. 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 – or you may end up waiting a long time to be let out. See our website for full details.

A DECENT PROPOSAL

You can’t keep a good idea down. We first floated the idea of a car-free day in Richmond Park at the end of 2019, and in August 2021 we signed up to the initiative drawn up by a number of local cycling and environmental groups (which, sadly, did not get off the ground, mainly because The Royal Parks was in the middle of the traffic restriction trials at the time). Now, to our delight, the park’s manager Paul Richards has asked us to put together a proposal for a car-free day after we outlined the concept at our last quarterly meeting, which took place a couple of weeks ago.

The concept is a family-friendly event enabling all types of cyclists and pedestrians to share use of the park’s roadways, regardless of their levels of confidence or experience. We hope the day, which requires TRP’s approval, will inspire visitors to come to the park more regularly on foot and on two wheels.

We have started to approach local stakeholder groups to gather support. In the meantime, mark the proposed date in your diary – Sunday, September 22, which is World Car-Free Day.

GUIDING FORCE

The Safer Riding Guide is another project which has been a long time in the making. The updated version of our recommendations for safe, courteous riding was scheduled to be finalised at the beginning of this year, until various issues, including the installation of the much-criticised traffic infrastructure, took our eye off the ball. But the park’s police have now agreed the final wording, which means we can now present the new and improved version on our website. 

Here is a rundown of the main changes.

• Most obviously, the name is now the Safer Riding Guide. The original version was called the Code of Conduct, which led some to wrongly assume that it was a set of enforced or policed rules when it is actually just basic recommendations for safe, courteous riding. The word “safer” now correctly implies that most cyclists already ride reasonably safely.

• In line with changes to the Highway Code enacted in January last year which help make cycling safer, the advice on riding in the centre of the lane and riding two abreast has been updated.

• The guidance on speed now clarifies that speed limits in the park do not apply to cyclists, while emphasising that you should slow down or possibly stop if safe to do so for potential hazards, otherwise you risk falling foul of the park’s regulations.

• Among the new items under Care and Courtesy, three are notable. One is: “Be a gentleman. Guys, if a cyclist ahead of you appears to be a woman, avoid the temptation to draft. Being in close proximity to a male stranger could be disconcerting for that person.” This reflects conversations we have had with women who ride in the park, and a debate on social media last year.

• The second significant addition to the Care and Courtesy section advises: “Never try to intimidate or confront a motorist, verbally or physically, even if you think they may be in the wrong.” This is particularly timely, given the concern over incidents of anger directed at drivers who are permitted to drive in the restricted areas of the roadway. More on this later in the bulletin.

• The third main addition to Care and Courtesy stipulates that you should not ride in the right-hand lane on parts of the roadway that are closed to cars. Some people have cycled on the wrong side of the road on Broomfield Hill, thinking it 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.

Thank you to the park’s police and our subscribers who made suggestions, many of which we incorporated into the Guide. Like the first iteration, a condensed credit-card-sized version will be distributed through various cycling-related local businesses, including some of our co-sponsors, and the full text will be displayed on the noticeboard on the decking outside Colicci. In the meantime, please feel free to share the link to the Guide on our website, which is here.

INCIDENTS AND ACCIDENTS

Time now for our quarterly look at the incidents in the park that the police attended over the past three months, as detailed in their report to the Safer Parks Police Panel. As ever, we are grateful to Sgt Sturgess and his team for collating the figures and helping to keep the roadway safer for cycling. Please note that while cycling accidents outnumber motor vehicle and pedestrian accidents, they are largely self-inflicted, and motor vehicle offences far outnumber everything else.  

Over the next quarter we hope to gather data, if available, on reported cycling accidents in Richmond Park per estimated number of miles ridden, compared with those outside. We ride many more miles outside the park than inside it and feel safer in there than out. We have also had fewer falls on the park’s roadway per mile travelled than those outside. Let’s see if the data reflects that experience.

• In July, a cyclist who had been cut up by a driver on Richmond Hill followed them into the park and spat at the vehicle, which hit the motorist, resulting in the rider being charged with common assault. On Queen’s Road, a cyclist ran into the back of another who had stopped, and in another incident on Priory Lane, a U-turning cyclist was hit by two following riders. Both incidents resulted in broken bones. A cyclist lost control on Broomfield Hill and broke their collarbone, while two cyclists in separate incidents in slow-moving traffic went into the back of a car, and swerved to avoid a slow-moving car, colliding with a wooden bollard on Sawyer’s Hill. The incidents resulted in facial cuts and a broken collarbone respectively.

• In August, a cyclist lost control on the shared use path on Sawyer’s Hill, suffering lost teeth and a fractured eye socket. In two separate incidents, cyclists lost control on Broomfield Hill and had suspected broken collarbones, and at Ham Cross a stationary cyclist was hit by another cyclist, causing bruising. The cyclist who went into the stationary cyclist did not provide contact details.

• In September, there were two falls on Broomfield Hill: one cyclist lost control and broke their collarbone, while the other suffered grazes after a fox ran out in front of them. On Dark Hill, a motorist pulled into the car park, and a descending cyclist collided with the car, cutting their lip and grazing their face. A cyclist descending Sawyer’s Hill rode into the back of a Royal Parks vehicle, with resultant dental injuries, and a vehicle failed to give way to a cyclist at Sheen Cross resulting in the rider crashing and hurting their back. 

As for offences, five motorists were reported for dangerous driving or driving in a manner to endanger others or themselves. A total of 52 motorists were reported for speeding and 119 trade vehicle drivers were reported. Three motorists were found to not have a valid license, and 11 had no insurance. There were also 82 tickets issued for unauthorised parking and seven for contravening signs, including No Entry, on the roads closed to traffic.

There were ten cyclists reported for riding off-track and 53 motorists for driving “not on a road”.

Finally, a cyclist on the Tamsin Trail ran into a dog walker and afterwards grabbed their arm, resulting in a charge of Aggravated Bodily Harm.

The police no longer provide data on the number of verbal warnings they give due to changing the system for collecting data.

Police priorities for the next quarter, as agreed by the Panel, include pedestrian safety, especially on the courtesy crossings and on the shared-use middle road. Please slow down and if necessary stop to give way if it is safe to do so. Another priority is focussing on road users contravening the priority flow system on the Beverley Brook Bridge, which applies to cyclists as well as motorists. RPC is working on a proposal to introduce a slip lane for cyclists travelling to Roehampton, but in the meantime please wait until there is a safe gap to proceed, or switch to the adjacent shared use path. 

SCHOOL RULES

There was widespread concern at last month’s Safer Parks Police Panel over the poor conduct of a small minority of cyclists who have directed abuse at drivers heading to and from the ballet school, as well as thumping their cars. It should go without saying that these types of actions are illegal.

As mentioned in previous bulletins, motorists such as these have permission to drive on the restricted parts of the roadway, so if you see anyone acting aggressively towards them, please ask them politely to desist, as their behaviour causes significant distress to their targets in addition to affecting the reputation of all cyclists who use the park. It is also worth bearing in mind that the police regularly check that drivers in restricted areas have permission to be there. Over the coming weeks and months we will publicise this issue on social media and seek the input of the ballet school to maximise the effectiveness of the message. 

Adding to the issue of rider behaviour, there were a number of cyclists who berated volunteers manning the gates at the London Duathlon in September after being told that, unlike previous years, only event participants were allowed access to the park that day. Some gate staff relented and let them in, which resulted in a few cyclists riding unauthorised on the course, causing safety concerns by going in the opposite direction to the race. Clearly, there is more work to be done on messaging around the event – for both the organisers and ourselves.

A final note on safety. One of the drivers of the free RP1 bus, which helps visitors access the park, reports that some cyclists are slipstreaming the vehicle – and he can’t see them in his rear-view mirrors. Obviously, in this situation, the driver suddenly braking or slowing down could have fatal consequences, so please do not ride close behind the bus.

RACK ’EM UP

If you go down to the refreshment kiosks in Richmond Park, you’re in for a nice surprise. The Royal Parks has installed new racks at Pen Ponds, Ham Gate, Kingston Gate and Broomfield Hill, totalling 40 parking spaces for bikes. There will soon be 20 more spaces each at Richmond Gate and Sheen Gate. Our thanks to park manager Paul Richards for this initiative, which encourages more people to visit the park by bike.

CLEAN SWEEP

On a final note, please keep an eye out for changing road conditions now that autumn has arrived. The Royal Parks’ team has begun salting the roads as the temperature drops, as well as carrying out sweeps to clear slippery wet leaves, and we thank them for doing so. Last year many cyclists fell on the roundabouts which had become greasy, and similar conditions may occur this year. So as we head into winter, please take extra care.

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 #69, October 2023

Each month, we email a bulletin to everyone who has signed up on this site. Below is the edition that we sent in October 2023. 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… +++ Call to reopen Sheen Gate to cars turned down +++ New moped gang robbery +++ Who smashed into the Rohampton Gate posts? +++ Another opportunity to get free security marking for your bike +++ 

Visit our sponsors: Bella Velo, Cycle Exchange, Kingston Wheelers, London Dynamo, Look Mum No Hands!, Pearson Cycles, Richmond Cycles, Sigma Sports Electric

BAD MANORS

There have been calls to reopen Sheen Gate to through traffic – and The Royal Parks has taken an admirably unequivocal stance against them.

It comes after the commencement last month of major roadworks on the A316 at Manor Circus (near the Sainsbury’s superstore in Richmond) which has led to heavy traffic in the surrounding areas. The work to remove the central island of the roundabout, repair the bridge deck and improve some of the footways is due to finish in December; the second phase, which aims, among other things, to improve the cycle lane on Lower Richmond Road, is scheduled to take place from January next year until spring. (You can read Transport for London’s full plans here.)

Some in the local community wanted motor traffic to funnel in and out of Sheen Gate until TfL’s contractors complete its works. But in a statement posted on Twitter by East Sheen Lib Dem councillor Julia Cambridge (who, coincidentally, sits with us on the Safer Parks Police Panel), TRP made it clear that the gate would not be used as a conduit for through traffic.

Here is the statement in full:

"Richmond Park is a unique natural oasis and designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a National Nature Reserve. Our duty is to care for the park for the benefit of visitors. Park roads exist to serve visitors to the park and are not part of the national road network. We have sought to reduce the impact of cut through traffic and over recent years have taken measures to achieve this. We have no plans to encourage more motor traffic into the park".

We are grateful to TRP for continuing to recognise, under some pressure, that its roads are primarily for cycling and walking, not for shortcut journeys made in motor vehicles. 

ROBBERY ALERT

Some concerning news from our counterparts at Regent’s Park Cyclists – thieves on mopeds have, once again, robbed a cyclist of their bike. 

Two robbers wearing balaclavas pushed the rider off his Specialized Venge on Archway Road in north London at around 5am last Friday, leaving him with scrapes and bruises. He fears the duo were lying in wait for a victim, and as a precaution has changed the locks at his home, fearing publicly available ride data from his Garmin could give away his address.

There is no indication that moped robbers are making another return to Richmond Park. Nevertheless, this concerning incident serves as a reminder to keep your data private on ride-sharing services such as Strava, as well as on whatever brand of bike computer you use, and to set the start point of your journeys away from your home. Thieves could be watching your movements.

TIMBER SLAM

Who smashed into the wooden posts near Roehampton Gate? The damage, which we showed on our Instagram last week, was thought to have been caused by a driver of one the vehicles involved in setting up the London Duathlon – but park manager Paul Richards has discounted that theory, telling Sgt Pete Sturgess from the park’s police unit that blue paint was found on the timber, and the event organisers didn’t have any trucks of that colour. Paul has ordered replacement wooden gates which should be fitted soon; in the meantime, plastic barriers are in place at weekends to enforce the usual restrictions on motor vehicles.

It is surprising, to say the least, that the driver of a very large vehicle can crash in the park, causing significant and costly damage, without any apparent witnesses to the incident. Nevertheless, we are relieved that on this occasion, it was not a cyclist who hit the cumbersome posts. We still maintain that the posts are too close to the edge of the road and this incident would seem to support this view.

LANE PAIN

Staying briefly on the subject of the installations near Roehampton Gate, one of our followers on Instagram messaged us to say she has been routinely “driven at and overtaken” on the single lane across Beverley Brook Bridge, branding it “utterly useless and dangerous”, while a subscriber riding at around 8am on a weekday morning the week before last witnessed two drivers out of their cars confronting each other, flanked by traffic that was backed up both ways. 

As many predicted, the new road furniture clearly continues to have a baneful impact, even though the second safety audit – carried out by the same company that conducted the first prior to installation – unsurprisingly concluded that it is safe for cyclists. This ongoing issue will undoubtedly come up during our next quarterly meeting with park manager Paul Richards later this month, so please tell us if you have had any recent negative experiences relating to the installations and we will feed them back to him.

MARKING TIME

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to say hello, have a chat or show their appreciation for our work during the Richmond Park Open Day last month. The RPC stall was next to the police bike markers who were kept busy by cyclists turning up throughout the day to get their pride and joy registered on the national database – and the officers will be offering this FREE service again at Kingston Gate car park on Saturday, October 14. The time has yet to be confirmed, so keep an eye on our social media for updates (links at the foot of this email).

With more than 100 bikes marked during the last opportunity at Sheen Gate a few weeks ago, this is bound to be a popular event. And remember: getting your bike on the database increases the chances of it being reunited with you if it is recovered following a theft.

RUT RUN

A group of cyclists, which one of us at RPC was riding with, had to stop for deer to cross the road last weekend. This is a fairly common occurrence at this time of year as it is rutting season until next month, making the animals agitated. So please take additional care with regard to your speed and general road awareness, especially as they can bolt or trot unpredictably into your path.

You should also watch out for motorists who stop abruptly to avoid hitting fast-moving deer suddenly coming across their path – and, regrettably, some will break park rules to stop at the side of the road to take photographs. If you decide to take photos yourself, keep your distance and please come off the road or pathway so that you do not impede the movement of others or create a hazard.

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 #68, September 2023

Each month, we email a bulletin to everyone who has signed up on this site. Below is the edition that we sent in September 2023. 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… +++ Royal Parks responds to our open letter on road installations +++ More on driver who destroyed Ham Gate +++ Why CCTV cameras disappeared then reappeared +++ Park closed for duathlon +++ Another free bike marking event +++ Come and meet us at open day +++

Visit our sponsors: Bella Velo, Cycle Exchange, Kingston Wheelers, London Dynamo, Look Mum No Hands!, Pearson Cycles, Richmond Cycles, Sigma Sports Electric

APPY DAYS

We couldn’t begin this edition without giving a warm welcome to all our new subscribers. A few kind people shared last month’s bulletin on WhatsApp groups and on a cycling club’s app, giving us four times as many sign-ups in 24 hours than we usually get in a whole month. A huge thank-you to everyone who clicked on that link or posted it to their cycling friends and acquaintances. 

Our bulletins reach around 2,000 people every month. We say it at the end of every newsletter, and it’s true: the more subscribers we have, the bigger our voice. And right now, when the speed and behaviour of cyclists is coming under greater scrutiny, expanding RPC’s subscriber base is more important than ever. So if you want to spread the word via WhatsApp or any other means, you can post this sign-up link here.

ANY SIGNS OF CHANGE?

Paul Richards, the manager of Richmond Park, has responded to our open letter which we wrote in May setting out our concerns about the road installations. He writes that The Royal Parks is “expanding the scope of our investigations to address your concerns and experiences”. He seems to indicate that, dependent on the findings of an assessment of road user behaviour, TRP could remove or alter the signage on the wooden gates, which we pointed out hinders visibility. The gates themselves, along with the new 10mph signs and the priority lanes will all likely remain, but they may be modified according to what is gleaned by TRP’s “comprehensive investigations” into cyclists’ and other road users’ interactions with them. 

The post-installation safety audit – carried out by the same company that conducted the safety audit prior to installation – has, unsurprisingly,  concluded that the designs and specifications “allow for the safe movement of cyclists”, which we strongly disagree with. If TRP’s traffic engineers were to have their time over, we believe they would have included in their original drawings many of the adjustments we have since suggested. The single carriageway at Beverley Brook Bridge in particular remains a bone of contention which, in our view, could easily be adjusted to accommodate two-way cycle slip lanes without compromising the safety and convenience of pedestrians, cyclists or motorists. Paul points out that the long-standing single lane at Ham Gate “presents no problems”, but this is an unhelpful comparison as far more motorists and cyclists use the outer road, thereby providing a much greater chance of conflict. You can read Paul’s response in full and our letter here.

Thank you to everyone who wrote to the park management, echoing our concerns and those of many other cyclists. We will continue to have a dialogue with Paul, and await the outcome of TRP’s further investigations.

NOW YOU SEE THEM…

A side note on the traffic cameras which appeared, briefly disappeared then reappeared by Beverley Brook Bridge and near Pembroke Lodge. TRP installed them to monitor road users’ behaviour, but a couple of Saturdays were not representative of a normal weekend due to wet weather, so the cameras were brought back to repeat the process. And for those of you who  wondered why part of the new pedestrian walkway on Beverley Brook Bridge is now missing, it’s only a temporary removal for the London Duathlon this weekend. Mystery solved!

HAM SLAM

Here’s a new piece of information on the case of the driver who crashed into Ham Gate while travelling at an estimated 50 to 80mph, destroying most of the 102-year-old wrought iron structure in the process. 

We’ve learned that the motorist, who was in a Mercedes GLA compact SUV with two passengers, had a blood sample taken to establish if he was over the limit. Sgt Peter Sturgess from the park’s police reckons the results could take three to four months to come back from the lab. In the meantime, the suspect is still being investigated for dangerous driving and drink driving by Richmond Police, who attended the scene.

We posted photos of the wreckage caused by the smash, which took place at 1.45am on Saturday, August 5. One was given to us by a member of the emergency services crew who attended the scene which showed the SUV’s engine, having been ripped out by the sheer force of the impact, lying on the road between the car and an uprooted pillar. Another shows the CCTV camera on the building outside the gate that is believed to have captured the crash. You can see the full set of pictures on our Instagram.

Amazingly, none of the people in the car had life-changing or life-threatening injuries. Nevertheless, the incident showed, at a time when the behaviour of cyclists is coming under greater scrutiny, how much damage can be wreaked by just one bad driver.

Immediately after the crash, the area was fenced off, and there was talk that the main entrance would not be open for months during the long process of reconstruction. This prompted concerns that those on cargo bikes, disabled visitors and others who could not negotiate the narrow pedestrian entrances would be unable to enter or leave the park via Ham Gate. Thankfully, the park management is now removing the mobile fencing each day and putting it back at night when the park closes. We are grateful to Paul Richards and his team for doing this. Looking ahead, could the rebuilding of Ham Gate provide a golden opportunity for TRP to bring forward improved access for cargo bikes and disabled visitors?  More news next month. 

MARK THEM IN YOUR DIARIES

There’s a few dates coming up that you might want to make a note of.

• Want to get your pride and joy listed on the National Cycle Database? Then get yourself down to Sheen Gate on Saturday, September 23, where the park’s police unit is running another of their popular bike marking events. If your bicycle is stolen, the chances of getting it returned to you are greatly improved if it’s marked up, so it is well worth popping down to the park to get the job done. We should have more details about the event later this month, so look out for more info on our social media. Our thanks to Sgt Pete Sturgess for organising these useful events.

• Best of luck to everyone taking part in the London Duathlon on Sunday. In previous years, the tarmac paths running alongside the roadway were available to cycle on for anyone wishing to travel through the park – but this year all the roads and trails, including the Tamsin Trail, will be closed to all non-event cyclists and vehicles. Limelight Sports Group, which organises the event, says the closures are “for health and safety reasons, and to ensure participants have the best possible experience”. Please use alternative routes on the day. Some traffic may be occasionally paused on Saturday to facilitate deliveries ahead of the event.

• On Sunday, September 17th, alongside Richmond Cycling Campaign and classic cycle club Cicli Artigianali, we will be hosting a display at the Richmond Park Open Day at Holly Lodge (the HQ of The Royal Parks and the park’s police unit located at the foot of Sawyer’s Hill). Entry is free, with plenty of bike parking and limited car parking for £5. To learn more about the wonderful park we ride around, see exhibits, demonstrations and enjoy refreshments, please come along and say hello between 11am and 4pm. You can also meet TRP staff and the police team who will also have a stand.

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 #67, August 2023

Each month, we email a bulletin to everyone who has signed up on this site. Below is the edition that we sent in August 2023. 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… +++ Fears of more restrictions on cycling +++ Plans for CCTV +++ Two cyclists fined for high-speed descent +++ Rundown of latest road incident figures +++ Sign up for fitness study or volunteer at London Duathlon +++ 

Visit our sponsors: Bella Velo, Cycle Exchange, Kingston Wheelers, London Dynamo, Look Mum No Hands!, Pearson Cycles, Richmond Cycles, Sigma Sports Electric

ACCIDENTS WILL HAPPEN

Ever since RPC was founded, we’ve found that most people involved with Richmond Park are generally supportive of cyclists – but, like anywhere else, the park isn’t immune to anti-cycling sentiments you will often encounter in wider society. And over the past few months, we’ve detected a more critical tone in discussions about aspects of cycling in the park. 

In particular, we sense that stakeholders and the authorities want to use the fact that the majority of road traffic accidents in the park involve cyclists, not pedestrians nor motorists, to introduce further restrictions on cyclists. But more often than not, these cycling accidents are caused by loss of control rather than recklessness, and are mostly solo falls with no other party involved. Cyclists knowingly accept these types of risk whenever we jump on our bikes, and will resist well-intended but intrusive measures that restrict our freedoms. 

Statistically, the roads in Richmond Park are actually far safer to ride on than those outside. We know that no one wants us to ride with greater risk elsewhere and yet restrictions on cycling in the park will have that effect. 

It’s becoming clear to us that we need to take a strong stance against any further unnecessary alterations to the park that would make cycling less enjoyable. To do this, and to reach our long-term goals, most significantly the removal of through traffic, we will need more subscribers. Speaking for more people simply makes our message stronger – so please encourage your friends and acquaintances to sign up to this monthly newsletter here. 

BROOK NO ARGUMENT

The second safety consultation into the controversial new road installations and 10mph signage has been completed. Park manager Paul Richards informed us on Monday he will soon formally respond to our open letter, which expressed opposition to what many regard as hazardous, heavy-handed intrusions which make cycling in the park less enjoyable. 

Paul also told us during our regular quarterly meeting with him a few weeks ago that he plans to install CCTV cameras on the single lane on Beverley Brook Bridge. This section, which could readily accommodate cycle slip lanes in both directions without losing much of the ridiculously wide new pedestrian footway, is now a constant source of conflict, with many road users heading towards Roehampton refusing to give way to oncoming traffic which has priority. The footage should be very interesting for TRP’s consultants to study…

FINE EXAMPLE

Speed limits in the park do not apply to cyclists – but contrary to what some people would have you believe, that doesn’t mean you can go as fast as you like. Here’s the most recent example of that fact.

On a weekday at the beginning of last month, an officer from the park’s police fined two cyclists £50 each after observing them descending Sawyer’s Hill at 39mph, weaving their way around cars as they did so. This, of course, is far from typical behaviour – in fact, to our knowledge, the last time a cyclist was punished for doing much the same thing was in 2015 – but it serves as a reminder that anyone who rides in a manner that could endanger themselves or others is falling foul of the park regulations, and the police therefore have a duty to act, which we support. 

MAKING TYRE TRACKS

While on the subject of rider behaviour, there were a few aspects brought up at the latest Safer Parks Police Panel meeting, as well as at our regular quarterly catch-up with Paul Richards, the manager of the park, and Sgt Pete Sturgess.

• There appears to have been an increase in off-track cycling, which is prohibited. While it may seem harmless to venture away from the roads, tarmac paths and the shared-use Tamsin Trail, bike tyres can create furrows which rainwater exploits, leading to soil erosion. It’s unlikely that a typical Richmond Park Cyclists subscriber ventures off-track – indeed, at a previous SPPP meeting it was said that those on hire bikes who were unaware of the rules were the main culprits. But if you’re walking in the grassy areas of the park and a cyclist crosses your path, you would be doing the reputation of cyclists a little favour if you politely pointed out to them the damage they are doing to the natural environment, and that the police might catch up with them.

• As mentioned in previous editions of this bulletin, visitors to the ballet school are permitted to drive through the restricted areas of the park. Some may have permits displayed – but even if one is not visible, do not approach the driver or remonstrate with them. The police have a good track record of catching genuine rule-breakers, so leave the job to them. 

• Horses sometimes cross on Sawyer’s Hill. Slow down, or stop if it is safe, when you see them and their handlers waiting by the side of the road. 

FIGURE IT OUT

Time now for a look at the incidents in the park that the police attended over the past quarter-year, as detailed in their report to the Safer Parks Police Panel. As ever, we’re grateful to them for collating the figures and helping to keep the roadway safer for cycling. With reference to the introduction of this bulletin, note that while cycling accidents outnumber motor vehicle and pedestrian accidents, they are largely self-inflicted, and motor vehicle offences far outnumber everything else.

• In April two cyclists lost control in separate incidents which required visits to A&E, while a third fell for unknown reasons and suffered a bleed on the brain.

• As we reported last month, two cyclists collided head-on in May on the middle road with resultant head injuries, and in June a rider’s light fell into their spokes causing a heavy fall with arm fractures and dental injuries. There were no reported road user collisions/falls reported in July.

• As for offences, two motorists were reported for driving in a manner likely to endanger others or themselves and one cyclist was reported for the same. There were 62 motorists reported for speeding and 176 drivers of trade vehicles reported. Twelve motorists were found to have no insurance, three were found to be "driving not in accordance with a license”, and two were caught on their mobile phone. There were also 210 traffic offence reports related to parking, and 23 for contravening the restrictions on motor traffic and directional signs. *Many of the latter were for unauthorised driving at weekends between Richmond and Roehampton Gates.

• There were 11 off-track cycling offences committed during the quarter, and 75 motorists were caught driving off-road – many of them being attempts to park outside of a designated car park. The police mostly give verbal warnings to off-track cyclists (174 this quarter) compared with 15 verbal warnings to motorists.

• In other notable verbal warnings, motorists were warned five times and cyclists three over for behaviour that is likely to endanger any person.

HOT SPOTS

Our final item is two requests for volunteers. 

A sports physiologist at St Mary’s University in Twickenham is looking for injury-free male and female athletes aged 18 to 55 to take part in a study exploring the difference in heat acclimation between men and women. Personal data gathered from the research, which includes VO2 max tests and blood lactate measurements, can be used to maximise your cycling performance. The one-hour sessions involve exercises and being immersed in 40C water for up to 40 minutes. You must be able to attend 13 days over an 18-day period. For more information, email Andrea Al Hourani at aalhourani34@gmail.com.

Meanwhile, the organisers of the London Duathlon, which takes place in the park on Saturday, September 3, are looking for volunteers to man the event. Duties include issuing  race packs, helping at aid stations and handing out medals to the finishers. Shifts last six hours, with food and refreshments provided. Volunteers can claim back up to £15 for travel on public transport and choose free or discounted entry to one other event run by the organisers LimeLight. You can register on its website here or email volunteers@limelightsports.com.

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 #66, July 2023

Each month, we email a bulletin to everyone who has signed up on this site. Below is the edition that we sent in July 2023. 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… +++ Great response against controversial road changes +++ More road-related projects in pipeline +++ Cyclist-on-cyclist hit and run +++ Two riders injured in separate incidents +++

Visit our sponsors: Bella Velo, Cycle Exchange, Kingston Wheelers, London Dynamo, Look Mum No Hands!, Pearson Cycles, Richmond Cycles, Sigma Sports Electric

CHECK THEM OUT

Before this bulletin begins in earnest, a quick tip if you are riding to the park this morning. Head over to Colicci, where you can get a free bicycle safety check, courtesy of the bike mechanics from Fettle, and meet the park’s police officers from 10am until 1pm. Events like this, which are organised by the police, are usually quite popular, so don’t be late!

DIRECT MAIL

Thank you to everyone who took the time to let The Royal Parks know how they felt about the controversial new road installations and 10mph signage. We were copied into scores of emails from subscribers and followers on social media, all of which outlined intelligent, articulate objections based on their own experiences and observations. We are confident that they will make it much harder for the safety consultants to say there is nothing to worry about.

Here is a small sample of your responses:

“I note with some alarm the give-way change over Beverley Brook. [...] I certainly don't want to put cyclists on a higher moral ground than drivers, but I have seen a few near misses due to cars not giving way to cyclists at the give way section on the bridge and I am quite worried about it. I don't want people hurt – obviously – and I don't quite see how this makes this stretch of road safer. It's an incredibly lovely commute I have – I just love it. I hope that my son will use it to get to school when he's a bit older. The biggest problem is the aggression between cars and cyclists  – fault on both sides – and I fear that the give way section will add to this problem in the future.”

“The gates at the bottom [of Broomfield Hill] are narrow and lead directly onto a roundabout. Cyclists have to judge the width of the gate and look in two directions for traffic crossing their path. The height of the gates and the additional signage blocks the view of both cyclists and motorists, increasing the possibility of collision. The new gates are made of solid, sharp-edged timber, and a cyclist colliding with these gates could sustain serious injury. My suggestion for the Broomfield Hill gates would be to widen them and make them lower so as to maximize visibility, and also add padding to the gates.”

“The posts are solid and thick but they are covered in signage – it is very difficult to see.  Just today, three young ladies seemed completely oblivious when they almost crashed into me coming down Broomfield Hill – I was turning right at the roundabout and even though I was indicating before the roundabout and whilst turning, they said they did not see me!”

“When I moved over from the USA our family selected this area so that I could have a safe place to cycle and train. Richmond Park is a gift and I attribute my ability to escape there to walk, run, cycle and move through nature the reason for strong mental health. [...] What made the park special was the ability to cycle without the typical London obstacles which distract, disrupt and dampen the experience of moving safely around in nature. The timber posts and give way lanes now on the road make Richmond Park more like the busy London streets and greatly detract not only from the experience of exercising in nature, but promotes unsafe opportunities for all involved to take chances when moving through these areas. I have witnessed honking horns and verbal exchanges at these new junctions which I had never witnessed before at Richmond Park.”

“I was disappointed to see that there had not been a wider consultation with the public on what the permanent measures would consist of. What has been installed, for some of us, was a surprise to the extent and design of the new measures, especially when compared with the previous temporary measures. Whilst the temporary measures with the plastic bollards and blocks were not exactly perfect, they at least offered solutions to ensure free flow to permitted traffic without obstruction. I am a frequent cyclist in Richmond Park, often accompanying disabled athletes in wheelchairs and raise concerns from their viewpoint as well as mine.”

“Unreasonable speed restrictions (i.e. 10mph on a steep downhill) add danger as a small number grip their brakes hard while trying not to fall off (especially in the wet) while others come past them at more controllable (but significantly faster) speeds. Rules that are bound to be regularly broken detract from credibility.”

The second safety report, which has been carried out by the same independent firm that assessed the measures after they were put in, is now complete and going through the company’s internal review process. Park manager Paul Richards expects to receive it soon, at which point he will respond to our open letter outlining our objections.

A FEW FOR THE ROAD

The specialists who visited the park for the second safety report carried out their work on a Sunday and Monday, during daylight hours as well as at night. They also cycled the route as part of the assessment.

There are a number of other road-related projects that TRP has instigated. Here is the current state of play with each of them.

• A park-wide accessibility audit should examine how disabled people, cargo bike riders and others are impacted by the recent road changes as well as the limitations of the pedestrian gates. 

• Following the spate of cyclists slipping and falling in the park over the past two winters, Paul Richards has instructed a health and safety evaluation, known as a pendulum test, to be carried out on the roundabouts to see if the road surface passes local highway authority requirements. This work will be done at night when the park is closed to motor vehicles to avoid road closures.

• Tubular counters – pairs of thin cables covering the width of the road – were temporarily installed in various locations before and after the installation of the traffic-calming measures to record the speed and frequency of motor vehicles and bikes. The park management now has a draft report on cycle speeds based on this data. We do not expect this report to produce any meaningful insight on cyclists’ behaviour, as appropriate speed in each case would be impossible to judge without an observational study which could identify, for example, who else was on the road or crossing it at the same time.

• Last month contractors identified the location of potholes throughout the roadway, which have now been filled in. We have expressed our thanks to the park manager.

CYCLIST HIT BY… A CYCLIST

A cyclist was knocked unconscious in the middle road after another rider crossed into his path and collided with him head-on. A friend who was riding with the victim attended to him – and while he was doing so, the other cyclist left the scene. 

Adam Keliher, 61, from Wimbledon, suffered concussion, a cracked rib and cuts to his hands. The man who hit him was described as being in his forties or fifties and dressed in black-and-white cycling clothing. The incident took place at around 2.15pm during the Bank Holiday Monday in May and was reported in The Times along with other news outlets at the beginning of last month.

This cowardly and irresponsible act does not, of course, reflect the decent, considerate behaviour of the overwhelming majority of people who choose to cycle in the park. But a hit and run is a hit and run, regardless of whether the perpetrator is travelling on four wheels or, in this rare case, on two. 

Generally, the police only issue appeals for help with their inquiries into a traffic incident if the injuries are very serious or life-changing, which is why they didn’t do so in this instance, and the case has since been closed as the person responsible was not identified. Nevertheless, if you witnessed the collision or have any relevant information, it’s worth contacting the police by dialling 101.

INJURY REPORTS

News has reached us of two concerning recent incidents in which cyclists were injured in the park. A subscriber has told us that her husband witnessed a driver clipping a cyclist, causing the rider to fall off. She tells us that the female motorist got out of the car to check on the victim but her husband tried to get her back in and leave, insisting that the rider would be looked after by another cyclist. The incident took place on June 1 at around 6pm.

On Thursday, another subscriber saw a cyclist lying on the ground looking “pretty worse for wear” at Ham Cross. The subscriber writes: “Luckily lots of people had stopped to help them while an ambulance arrived.

The police tell us they have no details about any such incidents involving a cyclist, so if you were at the scene during either of them, or you were one of the riders who came off, please get in touch. 

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 #65, June 2023

Each month, we email a bulletin to everyone who has signed up on this site. Below is the edition that we sent in June 2023. 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 the Royal Parks how the road installations have affected you +++ One-way proposal for roads outside Kingston Gate +++ Hero PC helps save stricken cyclist +++ Speed watchers revealed +++ 

Visit our sponsors: Bella Velo, Cycle Exchange, Kingston Wheelers, London Dynamo, Look Mum No Hands!, Pearson Cycles, Richmond Cycles Sigma Sports Electric

SPEAK OUT

It’s time for you to let The Royal Parks know how you feel about the controversial new road installations, which are continuing to cause frustration and conflict between cyclists and motorists. 

Last week we captured some of the issues on camera as we cycled over Beverley Brook Bridge with Tim Lennon from the Richmond Cycling Campaign en route to Holly Lodge, where we met with Paul Richards, the park’s manager, and Sgt Pete Sturgess from the park’s police unit. At that meeting, Paul agreed to give us a copy of the independent safety report which green-lit the hazardous new infrastructure and the 10mph limit on Broomfield Hill. A second safety report is due to be delivered on the 12th, and a separate park-wide accessibility audit should examine how disabled people, cargo bike riders and others are impacted by the road changes. 

A few weeks prior to speaking with Paul and Sgt Pete, we attended the latest Stakeholders’ Meeting at Pembroke Lodge, where Tom Jarvis, the outgoing Head of Parks, appeared to strike a conciliatory tone. Regarding Beverley Brook and the priority flow near Roehampton Gate, the minutes record him stating: “We will continue with the safety audit to ensure these areas are safe. If the audit shows that we’re then looking at our measures as an inconvenience, we then need to work with stakeholders to resolve this. [...] This is a learning process for us.”

But park manager Paul warned us last week that the safety audit may recommend that all the measures stay in place – which is precisely our fear, especially as the company carrying out the report is the same one that gave them the go-ahead in the first place.

During the meeting at Holly Lodge, it emerged that TRP has been landed with a £9,000 bill to remove graffiti sprayed in a number of locations on the road in protest. Naturally, we deplore this vandalism, and recommend a more constructive course of action: communicating directly in a civil way with the park management so they are aware how counterproductive their changes have been. We’ve set out our views, but we think TRP and its safety consultants may not appreciate the strength of your feeling unless they hear from subscribers directly. Please email richmond@royalparks.org.uk, expressing in your own words how the infrastructure and the new 10mph limit has impacted your enjoyment of the park, and copy us in. 

Here are the four key changes we want to see made which you may want to incorporate in your message: 

1. Move the timber posts back from the outside edge of the road at the new gateways to make them less threatening to cyclists.

2. Create free-flowing cycle slip lanes in both directions at the new give-way priority systems over Beverley Brook Bridge and next to Roehampton Gate car park.

3. Relocate signage on the back of gates and fencing which currently block sightlines.

4. Revert to 20mph signage on Broomfield Hill. When we brought this issue up with the police, they indicated that they would not stop cyclists if they exceeded 10mph unless they were riding in a manner that endangered others or themselves. But inevitably some will see the signs and dutifully keep their speed at around 10mph, which creates a potential hazard by increasing the difference between slower and faster riders.

For further inspiration, you can also read our open letter to park manager Paul, which is on our website here. He has said he will respond to it in due course.

Taken as a whole, the traffic restrictions introduced by the Movement Strategy have made the park a safer and more hospitable place to ride a bike. We want to make sure this good work is not undermined by the new changes which were not part of the trial.

THERE’S ONLY ONE WAY

Congratulations to the Friends of Kingston Gate, whose decade-long campaign against frequently dangerous local traffic conditions has succeeded in persuading the council to propose a one-way system, with a contraflow for cycling, on King’s Road and New Road. 

As documented on the group’s Twitter account over the years, the area outside the gate is often congested with little room for motor vehicles to safely pass each other, resulting in traffic queuing into the park, angry confrontations, injuries to cyclists, and motorists sometimes coming to blows. So this proposal seems like a sensible solution.

Some would instead prefer road filtering similar to Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, but the FoKG say councillors have ruled this out. It’s one-way or no way – and if this proposal fails, it would be particularly disappointing given that a similar scheme was rejected in 2019 after a public consultation. 

The council will vote on the scheme at a committee meeting on Tuesday, and the proposed start date for works is September 23. We will pass on details of how to show support when we have them.

THANKS FROM THE HEART

Take a bow, PC Paul Barber! The park’s long-serving police officer helped save the life of a cyclist who had collapsed on the grass after ascending Broomfield Hill last month – and now Paul is being given an award in recognition of his speedy help.

A couple of minutes after two members of the public stopped and gave emergency first aid, Paul arrived on the scene to administer a defibrillator on the stricken man. The cyclist, who is believed to be in his late forties or early fifties, has now made a full recovery.

Paul was typically modest about his role in the incident when we bumped into him at Pen Ponds earlier this week, so it is our pleasure to spread the word a little more widely, and thank him for his actions.

BAD SHOUT 

Unacceptable behaviour from a small number of cyclists in a couple of contexts has been a cause of concern for the park’s management recently.

The first is verbal abuse directed at visitors driving to the ballet school. Some cyclists direct their anger at these drivers incorrectly assuming that they do not have permission to be on Sawyer’s Hill. Many of these visitors will have a permit on display. If you see anyone on a bike acting aggressively in this way, please ask them to desist, as their behaviour causes huge distress to their targets as well as affecting the reputation of us all. And if you see a driver in any of the restricted areas, do not confront them – pass the details to police who can take appropriate action if necessary as they have successfully done many times. 

The second concern is regarding Royal Parks’ staff preventing traffic from heading towards car parks when they are full at weekends and Bank Holidays. A number of cyclists have berated them after being asked to stop which, again, cannot be tolerated. Treat these staff members with respect, and politely call out anyone you encounter who does not do so.

SPEEDY RESOLUTION

On a final note, a mystery has been solved: the two men who pointed a speed-recording device at one of our subscribers while she descended Sawyer’s Hill were representatives from the Friends of Richmond Park, who apparently measure cycling and driving speeds on a regular basis. 

We have thanked the Friends’ chairman Roger Hillyer for contacting us after he read the item in last month’s bulletin, and requested that his helpers refrain from pointing their devices at cyclists descending Broomfield Hill in case they startle or distract them, thereby causing a crash. We also look forward to seeing the Friends’ data once it is complete.

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 #64, May 2023

Each month, we email a bulletin to everyone who has signed up on this site. Below is the edition that we sent in May 2023. 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… +++ Our response following overwhelmingly negative reaction to road installations +++ Mystery men pointing speed guns at cyclists +++ Meet a new addition to our list of sponsors +++ Machete-wielding teen bike thief jailed +++ Round-up of road incidents over the past quarter-year +++ 

Visit our sponsors: Bella Velo, Cycle Exchange, Kingston Wheelers, London Dynamo, Look Mum No Hands!, Pearson Cycles, Richmond Cycles Sigma Sports Electric

THE WORKS DON’T WORK

The park’s road installations are now complete – and the overwhelming response from cyclists is that they are a hazardous intrusion which detracts from their enjoyment of riding, while delivering no additional safety measures for any other type of park user. Please read our open letter to park manager Paul Richards setting out our concerns, which we sent after meeting with him and Sgt Pete Sturgess from the park’s police last week. You can find it here.

The Royal Parks consulted with us long before its contractors began the works, and in line with our recommendation it chose the shallower type of speed humps which are more suited to cycling. Yet other significant aspects ended up being a surprise. The 10mph signs on Broomfield Hill were not trialled and will likely add danger by increasing the differences in speed between the slowest and fastest riders. The road narrowings at Beverley Brook Bridge and opposite Roehampton car park were also not trialled and do not have the contraflows for cyclists which, before the designs were drawn up, TRP assured us would be available in all their plans. And the timber gates with signage attached not only reduce sightlines – their height, sharp edges, narrow width and close proximity to the road could cause a serious accident if a cyclist makes a small deviation from the road. 

But the greatest surprise is that there are now three places where riders are expected to stop. Why try to prevent cyclists’ continuous movement on the outer roadway (while having regard for pedestrians and safe navigation through motor traffic) when it is the fundamental aspect of their enjoyment of the park – and the safety record for cycling has generally been excellent?

TRP is not anti-cycling, but many of the road installations and the absurdly low speed limit on Broomfield are significant misjudgments. Have a read of our letter, and let us know what you think of the changes, which we are hopeful the park’s management will alter.

CAMERA OBSCURER

Following our meeting with the park manager, a subscriber sent us footage from her bike cam, shot during a descent of Sawyer’s Hill, which shows two men with a clipboard and what appears to be a speed-recording device. She writes: “When I came alongside, the man lowered it and appeared to try to obscure it.”

Neither man is wearing a Royal Parks uniform; nevertheless, we will ask TRP if it is recording cyclists’ speeds in the park in this way. In the event of the answer being no, we will contact stakeholder groups to see if any of them can shed light on the matter. Only if all our enquiries draw a blank will we make the footage public in the hope that someone else can explain what is going on.

VOLT FROM THE BLUE

Time for a surprise announcement (which, if the new road furniture and speed limit hadn’t caused such a kerfuffle, would’ve been the top item in this busy little bulletin). Please welcome a fantastic addition to our roster of sponsors… Sigma Sports Electric! The shop in Kingston’s market square is the E-bike branch of Sigma, a name that needs no introduction to legions of cyclists who visit Richmond Park. Thank you to the team for backing us, and please show your appreciation by popping into the store or having a gander at their website here.

THE BREAKFAST CUFF

It’s not every morning that a 15-year-old walks into a cafe hiding a machete, a balaclava and around £1,000 in cash in his trousers – but that’s exactly what happened on the day that police from Operation Venice, the Met’s motorcycle-enabled crime unit, arrested the violent bike-jacker who rammed a stolen moped into professional cyclist Alex Richardson in Richmond Park to steal his £15,000 bicycle in October 2021.

The Met has announced that the teen, now 17, has been sentenced to six months’ imprisonment and six months on licence following an appearance at Wimbledon Youth Court in April. He had admitted moped-enabled robbery, attempted robbery and possession of criminal property at an earlier hearing. Sgt Sturgess, head of the park’s police, told us that the youth and the three other males who accompanied him were already known to him and his officers, so they will be keeping a close eye to see if any of them are foolish enough to ever return to the park.

The quartet also tried to steal a bike from a cyclist on Roehampton Lane and stole another from a victim on Danebury Avenue, both locations close to the park. Over the course of less than a week, the Venice team trawled CCTV, identified the 15-year-old as the key suspect (even though he was wearing a balaclava to hide his face), issued warrants for his arrest and then went to a cafe for breakfast – where, as luck would have it, the suspect walked in with a photograph of Alex’s bike on his phone.

Alex’s injuries have healed, but he continues to suffer from anxiety, stress and sleeplessness. You can read more about the impact that the incident has had on him and his family here. We hope that other criminals have the sense to stay away, realising that bike-jacking in the park is a losing game, and trust that the police will swoop on such gangs should they reappear.

TAKING A STAND

There has been a small yet promising development following the wrecking of a bicycle and a steel bike stand near Pembroke Lodge, caused by a driver who mistakenly hit the wrong pedal in his parked 4x4 which made it lurch forward across a public path. Park manager Paul Richards told the Safer Parks Police Panel, which we attended last month, that he is considering installing bollards at the front of parking spaces facing pathways – a move which would prevent more destruction or even a death if a person happens to be walking in front of a careless driver in similar circumstances. He also revealed that The Royal Parks claimed the cost of replacing the bike stand from the motorists’ insurance.

We witnessed the incident but, as mentioned in last month’s bulletin, the police did not ask us for a statement, and the driver was not prosecuted. Sgt Sturgess told the panel that the prosecuting team, which is separate to the park’s police, confirmed to him that a statement would have had no effect on its decision as the driver had admitted he was at fault.

There was also a discussion about the car that caught fire on a Sunday afternoon in February on Queen’s Road. Paul pointed out that if the incident had happened in the summer and the flames had reached dry grass, the resulting blaze would have been much worse. Sgt Sturgess confirmed that the car – an Audi A3 with 08 plates – had developed a mechanical fault and the driver had safely got out of the car before it caught fire.

The three policing priorities for the next quarter, agreed at the meeting, are dogs on leads/deer protection, road behaviour and courtesy crossings. 

Here is a rundown of the road and cycling-related incidents that the police attended over the past three months, as presented to us and the other attendees at the panel:

• In February, a cyclist was left with cuts to their face after hitting the rear of a vehicle on Queen’s Road. They said the motorist was attempting a close pass, while the driver maintained that the collision was caused by the cyclist trying to overtake.

• Three cyclists were recorded falling at the roundabout by Richmond Gate in February due to the slippery conditions caused by a build-up of winter grime and the subsequent treatment applied to the road. They suffered minor injuries, but we know that there were many more who came off during this period and did not report the incidents. Safety consultants have given advice to TRP on how to reduce this risk next winter

• A suspect confronted a cyclist in January for riding off-track and grabbed hold of their bike.

• As usual, there were a number of cycling accidents which did not involve any other party. On the ballet school road in February, a cyclist suffered bleeding on the brain after hitting a speed bump and banging her head on the tarmac. In January, a rider had a suspected seizure near Richmond Gate and fell onto the grass. Three other incidents that same month can be attributed to rider error, resulting in various fractures and dislocations.

• There were 28 verbal warnings for riding off-track and one, in January, for cycling in a “manner likely to endanger”.

• A locked e-bike was stolen from a stand in January.

• As for motoring offences: 69 drivers were reported for speeding, 115 unauthorized trade vehicles were reported, three drivers had no insurance and two were found to be “driving not in accordance with a licence”. Two were driving while using a mobile phone and one drove without due care and attention. There were also 135 traffic offence reports relating to parking, and 43 for contravening the restrictions on motor traffic and directional signs on the park’s roads. 

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 #62, March 2023

Each month, we email a bulletin to everyone who has signed up on this site. Below is the edition that we sent in March 2023. 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… +++ Spate of cycling accidents on slippery roundabouts +++ Car ablaze on Queen’s Road +++ No further action on 4x4 driver who destroyed bike +++ Colicci closed this afternoon, and other maintenance news +++ Hoppit – toads are coming! +++

Visit our sponsors: Bella Velo, Cycle Exchange, Kingston Wheelers, London Dynamo, Look Mum No Hands!, Pearson Cycles, Richmond Cycles

ROUNDABOUT THIS TIME OF YEAR…

Twelve months after there was a spate of cyclists falling off on the park’s roundabouts, more have been hitting the tarmac in the same locations over the past month. As our subscribers and followers on social media sent us a steady stream of reports detailing various falls, we had a meeting with the police and park manager Paul Richards, who has called in health and safety experts to examine the sites which will hopefully uncover the cause.

The park management had already swept the roads at the end of January. Then, on Friday, February 3, they responded to reports of the first falls by applying absorbent white granules to the roundabouts at Kingston and Richmond gates, where an oil-like substance was detected on the road (diesel was ruled out as the liquid was odourless). But the following day, one of us at RPC recorded bike cam footage of a fall at Richmond Gate before witnessing another at Kingston Gate a few minutes later, prompting us to urge cyclists to report any similar incidents. People have since fallen at Roehampton Gate’s roundabout too, and we know of one person who has had to have surgery for their injuries.

Surface ice or frost was not a factor as all falls have been at above zero temperatures. Instead, the cause appears to have been a long period of no meaningful rain and weather cool enough to attract dew or condensation. Also, for some reason, salt that has been spread for ice prevention, not necessarily overnight, appears to draw moisture to itself more than an untreated surface. Combined with a lack of rain, this seems to build up to form a film of dust, lubricants and spilt fuel which creates a slick surface with the moisture. More recently, TRP has scrubbed and washed some of the roundabouts. 

As we await the conclusion of the health and safety investigation, please take care on the roundabouts, paying particular attention to your speed. And if you do come off or witness any such accidents…

✉️Drop us an email or a direct message via social media with as many details as possible (date, time and location) so we can build a clearer picture of the extent of the problem

📞Call 101 or use the Met’s online portal to report the incident to the police

🚑Dial 999 if you or anyone else is seriously injured.

Take care, friends!

BLAZE-Y SUNDAY AFTERNOON

The Friends of Kingston Gate photographed a car on fire in the park on Queen’s Road on Sunday afternoon. Fortunately, there were no fatalities. Unusually, all of the park’s officers were absent as they had been called to a protest in Hyde Park, so the local force attended the scene. There are barriers around the spot where the car caught fire until the road is repaired. We will try to find out the cause of the blaze before the next Police Panel meeting in April. 

RIDLEY SCOTCHED

Three of us from Richmond Park Cyclists arrived at Pembroke Lodge for a meeting on a lovely sunny day a couple of weeks ago, only to have the peace shattered by the monstrous sound of a 4x4 ramming into two of the steel bike stands in front of the refreshments kiosk. A single speed owned by one of us had a narrow escape as it was locked next to the scene of the smash; sadly, the owner of a carbon Ridley Orion wasn’t so lucky. You can see the wrecked bike on our Instagram reel.

The driver of the parked Mitsubishi apparently hit the wrong pedal, sending his vehicle lurching forward across a footpath into the bike stands. Pc Paul Barber, who is one of the park’s officers, was one of those who attended the scene, but his sergeant Peter Sturgess has since told us that no further action has been taken. It should be stressed that the decision was made by the Met’s Prosecutions Unit, which progressed the initial investigation, not the park’s police.

This was a very unusual incident, and no one was hurt. Nevertheless, for a weekday, there were quite a few people walking around in the vicinity of the crash, so it could potentially have been more serious. Sgt Sturgess has contacted the case manager to find out why no further action is being taken.

If you are the cyclist whose bike was wrecked, or you know them, please contact us in confidence. 

SPRING INTO ACTION

Spring is a time of renewal – and the park is undergoing a process of change which is disrupting its usual routines. As mentioned in last month’s bulletin, the Royal Parks’ main project is the replacement of the temporary barriers, cones and signs with timber gates, posts and fencing, as well as installing cycling-friendly courtesy crossings for pedestrians, all of which is scheduled to finish at the end of March. You should still be able to ride in the park with minimal disruption, but there are a few other ongoing projects to make a note of, some of which will bring additional vehicles into the park. 

Here’s everything you need to know:

• Colicci will be closed TODAY from 2pm for the rest of the day for essential maintenance.

• Tonight and tomorrow night, when the park is closed to cars, road works will be carried out.

• From tomorrow, Thames Water will spend a few weeks installing a tank by Richmond Gate Lodge. Crews may come in after the main gates are closed and will only operate by Richmond Gate.

• On Friday, the small cycle lane at Broomfield Hill connected to the car park will be closed for essential maintenance. Please dismount and walk through the car park. 

• On Monday, Southeastern Rivers will clear the drainage defender near Roehampton Gate.

• All routes will remain open as The Royal Parks’ contractors Ground Control continue with the barrier and crossing works. They will be working on the kerbs, which means there will be cones and barriers by the side of the road. Please obey any signage asking you to slow down.

• The deer cull is scheduled to continue for the next couple of weeks, which means you will still not be able to cycle in the park from 8pm to 7.30am. If we hear the cull ends earlier, we will let you know via social media (links at the foot of this email).

HOP STARS

Speaking of spring, the season hasn’t truly sprung until the toads start hopping across one of the roads near Ham Gate. Their annual migration began yesterday, which means the section of Church Road from the junction with Latchmere Lane to Ham Gate Avenue will be closed to all traffic until March 27. Please try to enter and leave the park via another route to avoid squishing our little green chums.

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 #61, February 2023

Each month, we email a bulletin to everyone who has signed up on this site. Below is the edition that we sent in February 2023. 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… +++ Deer cull starts TONIGHT +++ Roadworks until end of March +++ Crowdfunder for legal challenge to Sheen Gate closure fails – twice +++ Latest police stats and incidents revealed +++ 

Visit our sponsors: Bella Velo, Cycle Exchange, Kingston Wheelers, London Dynamo, Look Mum No Hands!, Pearson Cycles, Richmond Cycles

CULL OF THE WILD

It’s that time of the year again, friends – the deer cull is starting TONIGHT at 8pm. The usual rules apply: 

• Please find an alternative route for the next six weeks if you are riding anytime between 8pm and 7.30am, when the gates will be locked for your own safety. 

• If you arrive at the park shortly before locking begins, do not enter unless you are absolutely certain you can reach your exit before 8pm, otherwise you may have to ride back to the gate you entered and wait a very long time for The Royal Parks’ team to return on its final sweep and open it for you.

The last cull, in November, finished a few days before the full six-week period ended, so the gates were fully reopened early. If we hear that the same thing is happening this time, we will post updates on our social media. Links to our Instagram, Twitter and Facebook channels are at the foot of this email. 

GROUND CONTROL TO MAJOR WORKS

We have lift-off! Exactly a year to the day after we outlined the replacement of the temporary barriers, cones and signs with timber gates, posts and fencing, we can report that construction workers are now on site.

You may have already seen them on the middle road. They are from a firm called Ground Control, which will also be installing cycling-friendly courtesy crossings for pedestrians. All the work is scheduled to finish on March 31, and although the park’s roadway will remain open for cycling throughout that time, sections are likely to be closed for short periods. As mentioned in last month’s bulletin, we have requested weekday closures, which are preferable as the weekends are busier. We will post updates on social media if we get them, and you can also check on TRP’s website here.

Tubular counters, which look like pairs of thin cables covering the width of the road, have been installed in various locations to record the speed and frequency of traffic before and after the works to measure the effect of traffic-calming measures.

We have also requested signage at the gates to convey the message that the park’s roadway is a distinct environment from external roads, and as such motorists should drive with greater courtesy towards vulnerable road users, including cyclists. Encouragingly, park manager Paul Richards said he will look into it.

GATE OUTTA HERE

Anyone who, like us, cycled on the outer road last Saturday morning will have experienced the usual tale of two parks: a breezy, unencumbered ride through the restricted eastern roads, contrasted with frustrating moments on the western stretch between Richmond and Kingston gates where through traffic congestion makes perilous filtering more or less obligatory and crossing the road more difficult. So it is some consolation to learn that a small group of residents living near the park last month failed not once, but twice, to raise enough money to begin a legal challenge aimed at overturning the decision to close Sheen Gate to motor vehicles which has helped make the road from Roehampton to Richmond gates a much pleasenter place to cycle and walk.

Take Back Sheen Gate wanted £5,000 to commence proceedings, warning that in a “worst case scenario”, the total cost would be £45,000. Last week, with just one hour to go, the total amount of pledges was more than a grand short of the £5k target, so the organisers extended the deadline by three days – but in that time they did not receive another penny. Now they are going for broke by asking for £50,000 – that’s ten times the original amount, in the same one-month time frame. You may question the wisdom of that decision, especially as the totaliser is still stuck stubbornly below £4,000.

It should be stressed that the organisers have chosen to remain anonymous on their crowdfunding page; without any names, pledgers do not know for certain who will be holding the funds, which may be why so few people have wanted to part with their cash. Or maybe the main reason why a measly 42 people have contributed is that most residents like the extra space to walk and ride a bike, and aren’t particularly keen on having cars cutting through their neighbourhood en route to the park or exiting it. Our money is on the latter.

STUDY TIME

Staying on the subject of gates, some good news for cargo bikers and those using wheelchairs: the proposed accessibility study, which we last mentioned in December’s bulletin, has gone out to tender, with three companies competing to carry it out. This comes after subscribers who ride cargo bikes told us how difficult they find it to enter and exit the park through the narrow pedestrian gates when the main entrances are shut. Park manager Paul Richards spoke to us about the tender at our most recent quarterly meeting with him this month; hopefully there will be more news when we next see him.

CASE DISMISSED!

The latest quarterly police report on incidents officers have attended in the park contains a rare occurrence: a cyclist found not guilty. He had moved to avoid a rider coming down Broomfield Hill towards him and in doing so hit another cyclist. We mentioned the incident, which took place in May last year, in our August 2022 bulletin, noting that the cyclist was said to be on the wrong side of the road. But in the judge’s view, summarised in the latest court results: “His actions were deemed a reasonable response to danger in the road. Case was dismissed.”

In another court verdict, a motorist who had driven into the park via the exit gate as the entrance was closed was fined £274 and given three penalty points for driving without due care and attention. He had pleaded guilty.

As usual, Sgt Peter Sturgess presented the report at the Safer Parks Panel, which sets the police’s priorities for the forthcoming three months. The panel decided to continue the list set in October: apprehending trade vehicles and closed road offences, wildlife protection, and off-track cycling and cycle lights at night.

Here’s a summary of incidents and statistics featured in the report:

• A total of 276 trade vehicle drivers and 113 speeding motorists were stopped from October to December.

• 75 cyclists were stopped for venturing off designated tracks.

• A driver pushed a cyclist on Sawyer’s Hill (December 9). Sgt Pete explained the police spoke to the motorist about their behaviour, which was the course of action the victim agreed to be taken.

• On Ham Gate Avenue, just outside the park, a driver was treated for shock after pulling out and hitting a car, causing it to flip onto its roof (November 11).

• In an incident of common assault, a suspect got away after a pedestrian tried to stop them heading towards Thatched House Lodge on the restricted road close to Ham Cross (December 23). The police told us that the pedestrian believed there was cannabis in the car but did not call back when an officer phoned to investigate.

• One driver overtook another at Pembroke Lodge to nab a parking space. The other driver punched him, kicked him and pulled him out of his vehicle (December 20).

• A cyclist had an apparent medical emergency and fell from his bike (October 11).

• On Broomfield Hill, a cyclist swerved to avoid two other riders, resulting in another person cycling into him from behind (November 11). The cyclist who swerved fractured his hip.

• A cyclist broke their front teeth after U-turning on Sawyer’s Hill and hitting another rider, who was bruised in the incident.

• There was a usual crop of cycling accidents which appear to be the result of small misjudgments on the part of the victim. A girl came off and broke her arm after clipping her dad’s back wheel (October 1), and two cyclists came off on Dark Hill on Ocotober 29: one had been told to go slower by the police due to a collision further down, while the other lost control, possibly while reaching for her water bottle.

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