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No cycles whether ridden or not: "Ridiculous and petty" sign banning bikes in Oxford University Parks slammed

Signs in Oxford University Parks ban those on bikes... even if they get off and walk

Oxford University Parks' no cycling policy has been labelled "petty, discriminatory and ridiculous" after signs were spotted banning cycles, whether ridden or not.

A photo of a sign, at the access from Parks Road/Northam Gardens, was shared on Twitter, prompting criticism from cyclists and active travel proponents.

Vocal cycling advocate and Vine on 5 presenter Jeremy Vine called the signs "disgusting", while the cyclist who took the photo said it is a "ridiculous restriction in a so-called cycling city".

Sharing the photo to Twitter, they said: "This has annoyed me before and it annoys me now. How petty, discriminatory and inaccessible is Oxford University that they don't even allow cycles to be pushed through Oxford University Parks? Ridiculous restriction in the so-called Cycling City".

Ben told us: "It’s been there a little while; I first noticed it and tweeted about it back in April 2020. I don’t live in the city but visit family."

It is believed the ban has been place for at least 15 years, and although inconvenient to anyone travelling to the area by bike, The Parks do not have a through route to anywhere. Running along the southern boundary of The Parks, separated by a fence, is a shared-use path which then crosses the River Cherwell and provides a cycle route to St Clements and Marston.

 The University Parks, often called The Parks, is a 70-acre site in the heart of Oxford, overseen by a "Superintendent" and maintained by a team of gardeners who also work on 200 other green spaces across the city.

According to The Parks' website, it is "an escape from the hustle and bustle of the City, but conveniently located right at its heart, is the green oasis offered by University Parks – with something to please everyone.

"For those that enjoy sport there’s the opportunity, depending on the season, to catch a game of cricket, lacrosse, tennis, football or rugby. Harry Potter fans may even encounter a game of Quidditch in play."

As per The Parks' rules, enforced by University of Oxford security services, no cycling or cycles are allowed, but Oxford University Security Officers and University Parks staff "have the authority to cycle through University Parks to enable them to carry out their duties."

Oxford University Park no cycling signs

road.cc has contacted the University of Oxford and University Parks for comment on the signs, and will update this story with any information we receive.

Last month, the University of Oxford paid tribute to an "incredibly kind and delightful colleague" after a second faculty member was killed while cycling on the city's roads in the space of a month.

> "One month, two dead cyclists": Oxford's cycling city sign defaced after second death

Oxford University said it will "push for investments" to improve cycling safety after the death of Dr Ling Felce, who died in a collision with a lorry being driven at The Plain on 1 March.

Three weeks earlier, on February 8, Ellen Moilanen, an academic administrator at Reuben College, was killed near Oxford Parkway Station.

Dan joined road.cc in 2020, and spent most of his first year (hopefully) keeping you entertained on the live blog. At the start of 2022 he took on the role of news editor. Before joining road.cc, Dan wrote about various sports, including football and boxing for the Daily Express, and covered the weird and wonderful world of non-league football for The Non-League Paper. Part of the generation inspired by the 2012 Olympics, Dan has been 'enjoying' life on two wheels ever since and spends his weekends making bonk-induced trips to the petrol stations of the south of England.

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27 comments

Avatar
BIRMINGHAMisaDUMP | 1 year ago
1 like

i wonder what would happen if one folded up one's Brompton, picked it up and strolled through the park. Would any locals like to try and report back? 

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Argos74 | 1 year ago
2 likes

What is needed here is some organised, malicious compliance. I see no rule against tricycles. Or unicycles. Or pictures of bicycles. Or parts of bicycles (just take the front wheel off). Or starting club / group / Critical Mass rides just outside the entrance of the Parks.

With summer coming up, I can see much fun to be had here.

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chrisonabike replied to Argos74 | 1 year ago
1 like

I suspect they're going to see some challenges under disability access legislation coming pretty soon if they're overly rigorous with this...

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Owd Big 'Ead | 1 year ago
3 likes

Oxford is a self proclaimed cycling city, good by UK standards, but nothing to write home about in a wider context. Hardly Utrecht is it?

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Benthic | 1 year ago
0 likes

Ignore them and cary on.

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IanGlasgow | 1 year ago
8 likes

If I lived in Oxford I'd be wandering around that park with my bike on my shoulder.

https://youtu.be/Sj3OJilVeOI

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LastBoyScout replied to IanGlasgow | 1 year ago
3 likes

Windsor Great Park has areas where bikes are banned "either ridden or pushed" - was very tempted a couple of weeks ago to walk through with bike on shoulder!

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chrisonabike replied to IanGlasgow | 1 year ago
2 likes

Brings to mind Lord Byron and the bear (although that was Cambridge) - just ask them to define a bike and then the fun begins.

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bikeman01 | 1 year ago
11 likes

The University of Oxford is by far the largest employer in Oxfordshire, owning much of the city centre property. The majority of their students cycle. I find it quite extraordinary that they do so little to support cycling. That they provide hundreds of work place parking for their 'senior' academic and research staff despite the city being served by several park and ride systems says a lot about their view on sustainable travel.

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Sedis | 1 year ago
7 likes

These signs have been up for several years. It's the 'whether ridden or not' bit I have an issue with.

Watch out users of pushchairs, prams or wheelchairs, you could be next.

 

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Carbon cycle replied to Sedis | 1 year ago
1 like

Several years? Pretty sure those signs were up in the 80s, and certainly in the 90s

 

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Drinfinity | 1 year ago
2 likes

I was at St Johns (near The Parks) for 7 years and travelled daily to South Parks Road where the labs are, by bike and foot. Never felt the need to ride through the parks, and I don't see this as a big issue. Unless it is expressly forbidden every available railing will be six deep in shonky bikes in a week. The roads round the side of the park are an easier way to get around, we don't need every path to be an active transport route. 

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mdavidford replied to Drinfinity | 1 year ago
3 likes

The restriction makes it more likely that "every available railing will be six deep in shonky bikes". If it wasn't there, people could keep their bikes with them while in the park. As it is, when they arrive on their bike, they have to find somewhere to leave it (which likely means the nearest available railing) before they can enter.

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jh2727 replied to Drinfinity | 1 year ago
1 like
Drinfinity wrote:

I was at St Johns (near The Parks) for 7 years and travelled daily to South Parks Road where the labs are, by bike and foot. Never felt the need to ride through the parks, and I don't see this as a big issue.

Did you ever feel the need to push or carry a cycle through the park? This is what the article is discussing, not cycling through the park.

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Drinfinity replied to jh2727 | 1 year ago
0 likes
jh2727 wrote:
Drinfinity wrote:

I was at St Johns (near The Parks) for 7 years and travelled daily to South Parks Road where the labs are, by bike and foot. Never felt the need to ride through the parks, and I don't see this as a big issue.

Did you ever feel the need to push or carry a cycle through the park? This is what the article is discussing, not cycling through the park.

No, if I was going from one place to another I'd just go round parks rd/South Parks. It's not far. 

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mdavidford replied to Drinfinity | 1 year ago
1 like
Drinfinity wrote:
jh2727 wrote:
Drinfinity wrote:

I was at St Johns (near The Parks) for 7 years and travelled daily to South Parks Road where the labs are, by bike and foot. Never felt the need to ride through the parks, and I don't see this as a big issue.

Did you ever feel the need to push or carry a cycle through the park? This is what the article is discussing, not cycling through the park.

No, if I was going from one place to another I'd just go round parks rd/South Parks. It's not far. 

If you weren't planning on going in to the park in the first place, then your experience hardly seems relevant.

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Jetmans Dad replied to Drinfinity | 1 year ago
1 like
Drinfinity wrote:

Unless it is expressly forbidden every available railing will be six deep in shonky bikes in a week.

So ... in your eyes, it is perfectly fine to say to people who use a bicycle as their day to day transport that they basically cannot visit this park to meet friends (for example) unless they can walk there? Or take a taxi?

Am I safe assuming that there is no facility to park and secure bikes around the park so that people can cycle there and not take them in?

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Drinfinity replied to Jetmans Dad | 1 year ago
1 like

No, you are not safe in making that assumption. Why not go and have a look?

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mdavidford replied to Jetmans Dad | 1 year ago
0 likes
Jetmans Dad wrote:

Am I safe assuming that there is no facility to park and secure bikes around the park so that people can cycle there and not take them in?

There's nothing really at the Northam Gardens entrance in question. There is provision just down from the St Cross Road entrance (out of sight at the corner at the end here), but even then, you'd be safe assuming that it's generally insufficient for the number of people wishing to use it.

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Jem PT | 1 year ago
3 likes

So the Parks Authority are saying: 'No cycling. And no not cycling' Given that Oxford is a self-proclaimied cycling city, I would have thought that quite a few visitors to the Parks might arrvive by bike? And yet the authority won't let them be wheeled in? 

But a stray cricket ball, which could kill? No problem.

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hawkinspeter | 1 year ago
10 likes

It's not even a valid sign - the red circle usually means "not allowed", so the bar through it must mean "end of no cycling area".

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Sriracha replied to hawkinspeter | 1 year ago
5 likes

I thought the sign perfectly mirrors the text; both express the idea that you may neither cycle nor not cycle!

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mdavidford replied to Sriracha | 1 year ago
1 like
Sriracha wrote:

I thought the sign perfectly mirrors the text; both express the idea that you may neither cycle nor not cycle!

                     __

[Just f*** off with your bike]

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Boopop | 1 year ago
6 likes

I'd be inclined to completely ignore these signs. If they'd stuck to just no riding bikes I'd probably abide by them but with this additional nonsense they can do one.

Are wheelchairs banned too? They presumably cause the same issues as someone walking with a bike (IE - zero).

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brooksby | 1 year ago
4 likes

What is their reasoning, I wonder? 

Are they that concerned that someone walking their bike through just won't be able to restrain themselves and will leap astride their bike?

It certainly can't be "wear and tear" on the footpaths, as they allow their own staff to ride (the horror!) and I don't imagine that they've banned prams/pushchairs, wheelchairs or walking frames?

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nosferatu1001 | 1 year ago
4 likes

Are bikes that scary to them?

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OldRidgeback replied to nosferatu1001 | 1 year ago
7 likes

Yes of course, don't you know that biccyles eat people?

 

Or something like that anyway.

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