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I just don't see how the park, as it is currently used, could really ban cars completely.
No one suggested banning cars, simply that they should pay for the privilege of being in the park
and
Its not some natural untouched idyl - its a managed park and has been for centuries.
And as someone who's visited pretty regularly over the last 20 years it has changed pretty significantly in that time
branwen-
No one suggested banning cars
I did. But a deterrent that actually reduces their numbers would be nice. It's a bloody carpark in there on weekends.
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A £10 fee almost is banning them - it's certainly making it much less attractive to those on a budget. If you've already dissuaded people who use it as a rat run, you're just limiting who can justify regularly using it.
I've only been a regular at the park for 10 years, but I can't say I've seen any huge difference. Perhaps the main paths are a little wider, but it generally feels pretty similar to me. The main difference I notice is ever more cyclists, particularly at the weekends and summer evenings - which is a good thing!
hippy
Scrabble
Its not some natural untouched idyl - its a managed park and has been for centuries.
From Ham to Ham gate is quite a long boring walk. On the Ham/Kingston side I don't think a bus stops close to the actual park. Say you wanted to visit the Isabella Plantation - in the middle, with the lovely gardens and flowers and streams, and go for a nice gentle potter. Say you've got a three year old and a six year old in tow too. From Richmond gate that is like two miles. Ever tried walking two miles with a three year old? Knowing you've got to walk two miles back? And you haven't actually started the walk you wanted to do?
Perhaps this could be alleviated by some kind of internal shuttle train a la:
But get stuck behind that on the wrong section and your strava section is still gonna be ruined. You'd need loads of them, shuttling folk all over to get to the bits of the park they wanted to go to. - The great play park at Petersham gate, the bike hire at Roehampton - Bacon sarnie by the ponds in the middle.
I just don't see how the park, as it is currently used, could really ban cars completely. It's too big and I still think it is important to encourage more people to use it - not less - just not for driving through on unrelated errands.