"Disgraceful that vulnerable road users have to put up with this": Renewed call from cyclists for drivers to be banned from using popular park as rat-run

Cyclists in London have once again urged the authorities to close Richmond Park to through-traffic, the latest calls in a long-running saga coming after a visitor to the south-west London park reported "some absolutely horrendous driving on display", including a close pass on a family who were cycling.

The photos of the incident have been widely shared on social media, the rider who saw it unfold sharing still images of the moment a driver overtook a man cycling with two children in the park, the motorist squeezing past despite the oncoming bicycle rider and lack of road space.

Some absolutely horrendous driving on display in Richmond Park this afternoon. Worst of all was this close pass on a family cycling. Absolutely disgraceful that vulnerable road users have to put up with this in a park. pic.twitter.com/JMYZcbuQCh

— Ollie (@ohbee07) March 9, 2024

And while that particular incident happened on the Priory Lane section, where there is a road closure at the base of Broomfield Hill in place for motorists (and another on weekends on Sawyer's Hill preventing motorists driving the entire way across the park) meaning the route is only useful for those driving to the Robin Hood Gate car park or the one at Spankers Hill Wood, it has once again raised the question about whether the levels of motor traffic are suitable for a park that is London's largest Site of Special Scientific Interest, a National Nature Reserve, and used by so many for active travel.

Cycling campaigner Ruth Mayorcas called the images "awful" and said that she too had "cycled through there this afternoon, the driving gets worse by the day. Cycling from Kingston Gate, turning right at Ham Cross to Pen Ponds is so frightening as drivers give no quarter."

Another cyclist asked: "So why is there a through route for cars in Richmond Park? Really not needed in this day and age. Same goes for Hyde Park."

"The Richmond Park rat-run between Kingston and Richmond needs blocking. I have no issue with parking, it's the through traffic that's the problem," a third added.

Others said they would prefer to see parking restrictions implemented as well as banning through-traffic, with one person suggesting greater use of the shuttle bus service that already runs to the park could help.

> "What a lovely car park": Tailbacks force cyclists onto grass at Richmond Park

On weekdays, during the hours the park's gates are open to motorists, it is possible to drive from any one of the four gates at Kingston, Richmond, Sheen or Roehampton and exit at another, through-traffic that some say has been exacerbated by live traffic sat-nav apps and which offer a cut-through that avoids traffic lights and heavy traffic elsewhere. On weekends, when Sawyer's Hill is closed to motorists, it is still possible to drive through the park between Kingston and Richmond.

One user who called the access a rat-run explained: "It still beats going around and stopping at traffic lights, hence plenty of drivers use it. Need to close it — only access for cars should be to parking lots. I cycle Richmond Park and also on occasions drive from Kingston side to Richmond."

Yes. 364 days a year rat-running Kingston-Richmond gates, sporadic @MPSRoyal_Parks speeding & van ban enforcement, token weekend & partial road closures, free parking, e-scooters banned, lack of proper cycle storage. It’s quite a to-do list @theroyalparks so sort it out 🚗💨🚗💨

— Piggy Stardust (@EnemyCoastAhead) March 9, 2024

 In February 2021 there were calls to ban motor traffic in the park after a cyclist suffered facial injuries in a shocking crash in a 20mph section, and while details around the circumstances of the collision were few the vehicle of the driver involved was pictured badly damaged having left the road.

Officers attended a collision between a car and a cyclist this morning near to Ham Gate in #RichmondPark resulting in the car leaving the road. The cyclist has facial injuries and has been taken to hospital. Injuries not life threatening. pic.twitter.com/nhTloI2OPm

— Royal Parks Police (@MPSRoyal_Parks) February 18, 2021

 There has long since been talks of cyclist safety in the park, however controversially much of the discussion has centred around measures that focus on cyclists themselves and not other road users in the park.

Richmond Park constituency MP Sarah Olney previously appealed for cyclists to slow down and "think about the impact of their behaviour on others" as it is "not a sports venue".

> "Richmond Park is just horribly dangerous": Drivers stream past child cycling in the park 

Also in 2021, a much-criticised new code of conduct for cyclists was introduced by Richmond Park Cyclists – an umbrella group representing all cyclists and para-cyclists who use the park and was founded in 2017 "as a means of creating a dialogue with The Royal Parks (the body in charge of Richmond Park), the Metropolitan Police and key stakeholder groups".

Among the new 'rules' for cyclists using the park were, "Keep it down... [as] shouting instructions to others in your group can cause alarm to other road users", and the advice to avoid frightening motorists by "tailgating" or failing to "filter gently".

> Richmond Park Cyclists' co-founder responds to critics of controversial Code of Conduct

In response, ​Tim Lennon, co-ordinator of Richmond Cycling Campaign, the borough group affiliated to London Cycling Campaign, told road.cc that the code of conduct cannot address the "real hazard" of motor traffic and suggested that there should be a code of conduct for motorists using the park.

In recent times, much of the discussion has been about cyclists' speeds when riding in the park, despite speed limits not applying to cyclists and the Metropolitan Police confirming in 2021 that cyclists using Richmond Park are not subject to speed limits.

> Cyclists in Richmond Park face crackdown for 'speeding' – even though limits do not apply to them

The Royal Parks acknowledged that bike riders are not subject to the same rules as motorists, but said that action will be taken against those riding "recklessly".