Richmond park off limits to bikes

They've decided to extend the existing motor vehicle limitations for another year: http://www.putneysw15.com/default.asp?section=community&link=http://neighbournet.com/server/common/ldrsrichmondpark004.htm

(I'd hoped they would do something more, but the current limits will deter more and more...)

Isn't Richmond Park a safari park?

The less cars using it as a shortcut the better quite frankly.

The driving there in normal times can be summarised as
<10MPH and gawping at the deer

30mph and treating it as a race track

I once had a guy relentlessly beeping me as I was climbing up Broomfield Hill, I don't know where he expected me to go, then parked up in the carpark, so I went to speak with him, and he was too scared to wind down the window or get out of his car. If you're gonna be a cunt be prepared to follow through with it.

-rant over-

a cunt

Every Richmond park visitor ever

I live in hope that one day they put in some magic bollard system to prevent all through use of the park (emergency vehicles excepted).

Sure, drive there and enjoy the park but be limited to driving to the nearest car park and that's it. Forced to exit the same gate you entered.

I read Parklife by John Bartram recently (he was a gamekeeper there for decades) and 30 years or so ago he remembers being able to walk from one side of the park to the other early in the morning and not see a single other person, and no cars either (yes, it was after the gates were open, not that early in the morning...)

The infestation of cars is definitely a recent (in relative terms) thing.

Also reminds me of the concrete carbuncle that has gone up opposite Roehampton Gate.

https://planning2.wandsworth.gov.uk/planningcase/comments.aspx?case=2018%2f2298 is the particular planning application.

It's gone up pretty much as this ES article shows:-

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/neighbours-outraged-by-chocolate-heiress-plans-to-rebuild-damien-hirst-s-old-home-a3960616.html

I like that

Anyone know what Richmond Park is like these days? Mate says they've permanently closed one road to cars and on weekends others are car-free? Could it possibly be less shit than it was 12 months ago?

It’s still kinda annoying. But perfectly serviceable when it’s not between 0700-1900

When the roads are closed to cars they are full of dogs and peds. It's OK outside of peak commute times and weekends. Avoid Roahampton gate early morning and around 3-4PM - it's full of school run zombies.

I've been there at the weekends recently and it has been much better. People have stopped driving to the park in the numbers they were when everything was locked down.

On the other hand weekdays, especially rush hour/ school run time, can be pretty grim on the roads that are open to cars.

Yes, there are sections that are closed. Weekends more of it is closed. There's more info on line on the details.

Also, there are fewer people in general in the park walking etc. Makes it easier to ride, although it was a positive thing seeing people appreciate having the roads closed.

Cheers folks. Sounds like it is at least worth looking into.

A driver actually flashed us through a junction last night in an act of kindness and patience so maybe I need to get over my "everyone's a dangerous fuckhead" attitude and accept that it'll be a few more years before I can live on a deserted island with no cars.

Kingston Gate at 07:20 am earlier this week

https://twitter.com/friendsofkings1/status/1407590312428638211

Doing the anti-clockwise route on the Kingston side, traffic dies down after Dark Hill car park on the right, then no traffic from top of Broomfield (because cars are allowed to/from the car park but not up/down the fast bend) until the A3 connection. So fast bend + fast breakthrough possible, and if you're lucky it's light until you reach Roehampton Gate / Collicci.

School run people seem to be in all other parts of the outer road, Roehampton to Richmond to Kingston basically. So avoid during drop off/pickup times. Some days it's OK, some days worse.

Depending on the traffic situation they sometimes shut off the gates to incoming traffic, if that happens there's a slight increase in traffic to/around Roehampton where newcomers try to maneuver and turn back while existing traffic in the park exits.

All of London, all the time. :S

.

Maybe they should campaign to reduce traffic on all roads.

maybe I need to get over my "everyone's a dangerous fuckhead" attitude and accept that it'll be a few more years before I can live on a deserted island with no cars.

You're well on your way, just keep eating.

apparently Jensie was there today. Opening a new Giant store in Battersea

https://twitter.com/thejensie/status/1436246923439185920?s=20

Shut up legs Richmond SUV Cunts!

Indeed. Here's the last time I saw him on alpe d'Huez in 2011

Shut Up Legs

If anyone ever got a bicycle speeding fine in Richmond Park, this may interest you:
https://twitter.com/ldnparks/status/1443630319542882304?s=21

Interesting, although one FOI response is not the basis for the law.

What it needs is someone who has had a fine to go through the judicial appeal/review process to see if they can get it overturned and create some form of legal precedent. I think the fact that this hasn't happened (as far as I know) is that most of the advice has been that the fine would be upheld.

If it/they were overturned the simplest thing the Government could do is amend the RPA to remove the ambiguity and make the speed limit apply to bicycles. Let's just hope they're busy fucking up other things to worry about trivialities like this.

The fines for speeding aren't for speeding though are they, they're for dangerous cycling.

This seems the most active RP thread recently so posting here in case people aren't aware:

https://twitter.com/BritishCycling/status/1446435205322100769
Our sympathy goes out to
@AlexandarRicha2
after suffering this horrendous armed robbery in Richmond Park. Please raise awareness and keep an eye out on the sales pages for his bike.

Also another similar incident in short space of time:

https://twitter.com/SpinarelloDogma/status/1446383065945813010

And the Police have finally confirmed that speed limits do not apply to bicycles inside the Royal parks:-

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/cyclists-can-not-be-prosecuted-for-speeding-in-richmond-park-police-confirm

(As others have said, you may still get stopped by eager Police for going too quickly if they think you're likely to endanger others. In all the years I've cycled around the park I've never been stopped, but then I go anti-clockwise so I go up Sawyer's Hill and down Broomfield hill which is away from the majority of pedestrians.)