Each month, we email a bulletin to everyone who has signed up on this site. Below is the edition that we sent in September 2023. If you like it, please sign up on our Get Involved section – you will be showing your support for our work and you will receive our free monthly bulletins a month before they appear here.
IN THIS ISSUE… +++ Royal Parks responds to our open letter on road installations +++ More on driver who destroyed Ham Gate +++ Why CCTV cameras disappeared then reappeared +++ Park closed for duathlon +++ Another free bike marking event +++ Come and meet us at open day +++
Visit our sponsors: Bella Velo, Cycle Exchange, Kingston Wheelers, London Dynamo, Look Mum No Hands!, Pearson Cycles, Richmond Cycles, Sigma Sports Electric
APPY DAYS
We couldn’t begin this edition without giving a warm welcome to all our new subscribers. A few kind people shared last month’s bulletin on WhatsApp groups and on a cycling club’s app, giving us four times as many sign-ups in 24 hours than we usually get in a whole month. A huge thank-you to everyone who clicked on that link or posted it to their cycling friends and acquaintances.
Our bulletins reach around 2,000 people every month. We say it at the end of every newsletter, and it’s true: the more subscribers we have, the bigger our voice. And right now, when the speed and behaviour of cyclists is coming under greater scrutiny, expanding RPC’s subscriber base is more important than ever. So if you want to spread the word via WhatsApp or any other means, you can post this sign-up link here.
ANY SIGNS OF CHANGE?
Paul Richards, the manager of Richmond Park, has responded to our open letter which we wrote in May setting out our concerns about the road installations. He writes that The Royal Parks is “expanding the scope of our investigations to address your concerns and experiences”. He seems to indicate that, dependent on the findings of an assessment of road user behaviour, TRP could remove or alter the signage on the wooden gates, which we pointed out hinders visibility. The gates themselves, along with the new 10mph signs and the priority lanes will all likely remain, but they may be modified according to what is gleaned by TRP’s “comprehensive investigations” into cyclists’ and other road users’ interactions with them.
The post-installation safety audit – carried out by the same company that conducted the safety audit prior to installation – has, unsurprisingly, concluded that the designs and specifications “allow for the safe movement of cyclists”, which we strongly disagree with. If TRP’s traffic engineers were to have their time over, we believe they would have included in their original drawings many of the adjustments we have since suggested. The single carriageway at Beverley Brook Bridge in particular remains a bone of contention which, in our view, could easily be adjusted to accommodate two-way cycle slip lanes without compromising the safety and convenience of pedestrians, cyclists or motorists. Paul points out that the long-standing single lane at Ham Gate “presents no problems”, but this is an unhelpful comparison as far more motorists and cyclists use the outer road, thereby providing a much greater chance of conflict. You can read Paul’s response in full and our letter here.
Thank you to everyone who wrote to the park management, echoing our concerns and those of many other cyclists. We will continue to have a dialogue with Paul, and await the outcome of TRP’s further investigations.
NOW YOU SEE THEM…
A side note on the traffic cameras which appeared, briefly disappeared then reappeared by Beverley Brook Bridge and near Pembroke Lodge. TRP installed them to monitor road users’ behaviour, but a couple of Saturdays were not representative of a normal weekend due to wet weather, so the cameras were brought back to repeat the process. And for those of you who wondered why part of the new pedestrian walkway on Beverley Brook Bridge is now missing, it’s only a temporary removal for the London Duathlon this weekend. Mystery solved!
HAM SLAM
Here’s a new piece of information on the case of the driver who crashed into Ham Gate while travelling at an estimated 50 to 80mph, destroying most of the 102-year-old wrought iron structure in the process.
We’ve learned that the motorist, who was in a Mercedes GLA compact SUV with two passengers, had a blood sample taken to establish if he was over the limit. Sgt Peter Sturgess from the park’s police reckons the results could take three to four months to come back from the lab. In the meantime, the suspect is still being investigated for dangerous driving and drink driving by Richmond Police, who attended the scene.
We posted photos of the wreckage caused by the smash, which took place at 1.45am on Saturday, August 5. One was given to us by a member of the emergency services crew who attended the scene which showed the SUV’s engine, having been ripped out by the sheer force of the impact, lying on the road between the car and an uprooted pillar. Another shows the CCTV camera on the building outside the gate that is believed to have captured the crash. You can see the full set of pictures on our Instagram.
Amazingly, none of the people in the car had life-changing or life-threatening injuries. Nevertheless, the incident showed, at a time when the behaviour of cyclists is coming under greater scrutiny, how much damage can be wreaked by just one bad driver.
Immediately after the crash, the area was fenced off, and there was talk that the main entrance would not be open for months during the long process of reconstruction. This prompted concerns that those on cargo bikes, disabled visitors and others who could not negotiate the narrow pedestrian entrances would be unable to enter or leave the park via Ham Gate. Thankfully, the park management is now removing the mobile fencing each day and putting it back at night when the park closes. We are grateful to Paul Richards and his team for doing this. Looking ahead, could the rebuilding of Ham Gate provide a golden opportunity for TRP to bring forward improved access for cargo bikes and disabled visitors? More news next month.
MARK THEM IN YOUR DIARIES
There’s a few dates coming up that you might want to make a note of.
Want to get your pride and joy listed on the National Cycle Database? Then get yourself down to Sheen Gate on Saturday, September 23, where the park’s police unit is running another of their popular bike marking events. If your bicycle is stolen, the chances of getting it returned to you are greatly improved if it’s marked up, so it is well worth popping down to the park to get the job done. We should have more details about the event later this month, so look out for more info on our social media. Our thanks to Sgt Pete Sturgess for organising these useful events.
Best of luck to everyone taking part in the London Duathlon on Sunday. In previous years, the tarmac paths running alongside the roadway were available to cycle on for anyone wishing to travel through the park – but this year all the roads and trails, including the Tamsin Trail, will be closed to all non-event cyclists and vehicles. Limelight Sports Group, which organises the event, says the closures are “for health and safety reasons, and to ensure participants have the best possible experience”. Please use alternative routes on the day. Some traffic may be occasionally paused on Saturday to facilitate deliveries ahead of the event.
On Sunday, September 17th, alongside Richmond Cycling Campaign and classic cycle club Cicli Artigianali, we will be hosting a display at the Richmond Park Open Day at Holly Lodge (the HQ of The Royal Parks and the park’s police unit located at the foot of Sawyer’s Hill). Entry is free, with plenty of bike parking and limited car parking for £5. To learn more about the wonderful park we ride around, see exhibits, demonstrations and enjoy refreshments, please come along and say hello between 11am and 4pm. You can also meet TRP staff and the police team who will also have a stand.
SEE YOU NEXT MONTH...
As ever, thank you for allowing us to pop into your inbox, and let us know what you think about anything related to cycling in Richmond Park – we reply personally to every email you send us. If you enjoyed this bulletin, please share it with your cycling friends – and if they like what they read, encourage them to sign up to our mailing list too. The more subscribers we have, the bigger our voice.
All the best,
Richmond Park Cyclists