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Edit: and this is a hard thing to argue (where do the restrictions land?), but Richmond Park has an unsustainably high footfall which is permanently changing the landscape there. If some of that footfall is reduced by excluding those who could use public transport to get there but are too lazy to, then honestly that sounds fine
It doesn't to me, parks and spending time in the outdoors/open space/greenery has huge physical and mental health benefits which we are only now starting to better understand.
Given the issues around access to green space living in a big city I feel these benefits outweigh any issues around the park being oversubscribed.
The £10 fee suggested by @hippy is a regressive policy - it won't be a problem for the rich to pay a tenner so it would be the poor who suffer. I agree people shouldn't be rat running through the park, but if you want to enforce that do it with a clear ban and significant fine for doing it, not pay for play.
Fox-
If we could get a ban then I'd deffo prefer that to pay for play but if that's not possible then paying to enter with a car is second best option. Do you think they will ban cars? There's carparks and the cafes etc will no doubt crack the shits about any perceived footfall reduction
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The poor will suffer? What suffer not being able to rat run through a park? No, they can drive around. Rich won't like paying even if they can, it's why they're rich. So it might deter them enough to head around instead of through.
hippy
If only there were ways to get to the park that didn't involve driving ...
(Richmond has pretty good Rail/Underground/Bus access, and 371 goes right by the Richmond hill entrance, 65 follows the Ham side of the park all the way to Kingston)
Edit: and this is a hard thing to argue (where do the restrictions land?), but Richmond Park has an unsustainably high footfall which is permanently changing the landscape there. If some of that footfall is reduced by excluding those who could use public transport to get there but are too lazy to, then honestly that sounds fine