The Royal Parks Movement Strategy (consultation open)

It’s a shame part of Richmond Park is going to reopen to allow through traffic. It’s been bliss in the park both as a a cyclist and a pedestrian. Even the noise reduction is noticeable compared to how it was precovid.

Started with this..

The Royal Parks is embarking on an exciting and ambitious journey to
develop a Movement Strategy that will influence movement and
transportation throughout our parks and London

Our park roads are not intended to be commuter through-routes for
motor vehicles

..and ended with re-opening a rat run.

Perhaps the trial could fail in such a way that they would have to extend the trial to test closing the rat run but I bet they'd rather declare the closed sections a failure and just go back to status quo.

I'd be interested to see all of these in map form if anyone comes across any.
Edit: here is Richmond Park..
https://twitter.com/RichmondCycling/status/1293107659940466688

Hmmm, it seems odd to open a rat run that has a perfectly good road as an alternative (Richmond Road from Ktown to Richmond).

I've got conflicts of interest everywhere as I live just off the Richmond Road. The benefit to me, is that road may be slightly quieter if people can go through the park instead. Crossing it with kids is rarely relaxing and maybe thats been worse post lock-down due to RP remaining closed plus no one getting the bus.

Also, why is Ham gate open to cars? Almost no cars use it anyway, and acessing the park from there has no real benefit. Would be sensible to close it so people can freely enjoy whizzing down that hill, although having the gates open at the bottom will be nice.

Re. Richmond Park, it's misleading that this is being presented as an improvement for walking and cycling etc whereas it's actually significant step backwards towards the pre-covid situation. I noticed recently how even a small increase in car traffic (drivers going to the car parks between Kingston and Richmond) has such an adverse impact on the experience in the park.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/richmond-park-traffic-parking-charge-a4541501.html

Goes absolutely nowhere to discourage ratrunners, or anywhere to encouraging people to treat it like an actual... park.

Seem intent on trying everything but fixing the actual issue.

Here are the details. I've suggested they install ANPR on the gates, that way they can solve car parking and rat running all at once ;)

How to provide feedback on the proposals
To make a submission to the proposed implementation of parking charges in Richmond and Bushy Parks please do so before the close of consultation on 01 November 2020 via the following channels:

Online questionnaire
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/parkingcharges-consult

Just noticed this:

A formal consultation with all park visitors, residents and
stakeholders will take place from November to December 2020. Through
the six-month project period, we will also be collating park
stakeholder feedback, facilitating park visitor satisfaction surveys
(if possible with COVID restrictions) and undertaking an evaluation of
the external implications of our trials in partnership with relevant
transport authorities (eg. TfL and local boroughs).

At the end of the trial in February 2021 we will determine if we
should extend, alter, make permanent or revoke the trial.

You can sign up to register interest in consultation here:

https://www.royalparks.org.uk/managing-the-parks/park-strategies/the-royal-parks-transport-and-movement-strategy

Roads around RP were carnage today as lockdown boredom and the couple of hours of nice weather meant everyone decided to drive to the park leading to gridlock at the gates.

It was still nice on the north side of the park where the most noticeable sound you could hear was conversation rather than the engines/ tyre noise.

They've gone live today;

• Bushy Park
  
• St. James Park & The Green Park
  
• Greenwich Park
  
• Richmind Park
  
• Hydpe Park & Kensingston Gardens
  

https://www.royalparks.org.uk/managing-the-parks/park-strategies/the-royal-parks-transport-and-movement-strategy

Hello everyone,
As you'd expect we are promoting this consultation hard among our members.

Please note that as well as the five parks mentioned by @spinnnout we really need pressure on RP concerning Regent's, but they aren't operating a consultation on it, it has to be emailed.

Details of how to respond and our suggested points to really impress on the parks in your feedback at https://membership.lcc.org.uk/royalparks (edited)

You can also access the four-page response we have filed as an organisation at https://s3.amazonaws.com/lcc_production_bucket/files/13590/original.pdf

Suffice to say the draft strategy needs improvement. As it stands, particularly Richmond and Regent's Park, are not safe and welcoming especially for children and beginner cyclists. It was very distressing to capture the video footage in the gif below on Sunday.

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Thanks, the link to your suggested points does not seem to be working?

https://lcc.org.uk/royalparks

Apologies, try this one https://membership.lcc.org.uk/royalparks

Video with us and Francis Cade about the park. Riding fixed of course! 🚲⚙️

https://youtu.be/5vbHAk445Yo

Re Greenwich Park, great that they've stopped through traffic but it was absolute carnage at the weekend around Blackheath Gate, more so than usual. Charlton Way was totally gridlocked as cars were coming from both directions trying to get into the car park.

I guess driving is a privilege that comes at a cost of time and money 🤷🏽‍♂️

Good vid, thanks

Similarly there are usually massive queues getting in and out of Trent Park car park which causes big tailbacks on Cockfosters Road.

Just responded. Only 1 week left to give feedback on this.

https://www.royalparks.org.uk/managing-the-parks/park-strategies/the-royal-parks-transport-and-movement-strategy

Lots of cars and mopeds beeping their way through cyclists this morning in Richmond.
Don't know what the solution is but it's still not very pleasant riding along the one side that is open to traffic

The solution is to ban cars

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Do people think cyclists are more dangerous than cars?

And why did the Royal Parks decide to highlight these comments (out of thousands)?

Read that and my mind went straight to..

Can't see where it lays out next steps, when is the permanence ratified? and will they deal with the 50% comments relating to RP not being used as a rat run? fairly sure the answer is NOPE but can dream.

edit: read the email, need more data apparently, an extra year, what was the point in the 6 month trial..

The Royal Parks will keep the measures in place for the coming year while we monitor additional data.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/richmond-park-bushy-free-parking-row-b926787.html

there was free parking in those parks?! Fuck me. Should be £20 per hour minimum with discounts to blue badge holders.