Through-traffic to be banned from several Royal Parks to promote walking and cycling

Through-traffic is to be banned from a number of Royal Parks to promote walking and cycling and reduce their use as “rat runs” by motorists.

The changes, which will be trialled for six months, will include closing Constitution Hill and The Mall for the entire weekend rather than just on Sundays.

North Carriage Drive in Hyde Park will be closed throughout the week and South Carriage Drive shut on Saturdays in addition to Sundays.

Restrictions in Richmond Park are due to be revealed “shortly”, in a second phase of changes, while there are longer-term “traffic management” plans for Regent’s Park.

Both of these parks are heavily used by through-traffic, resulting in regular clashes between motorists and cyclists.

The changes, part of the “movement strategy” being implemented by the Royal Parks charity to safeguard the parks as a “refuge” from city life, will still allow visitors to drive to the parks.

Consultation was launched last year and attracted thousands of responses but the implementation of the plans is being “accelerated” as part of the capital’s switch to “green” travel as it emerges from the coronavirus lockdown.

The closure of Constitution Hill, The Mall and South Carriage Drive at weekends will create more safe space for the thousands of visitors to Hyde Park, Green Park and St James’ Park to socially distance and, at a stroke, a traffic-free corridor from Kensington to Trafalgar Square.

The car parks in the Royal Parks will be reopened on a staggered basis from next Tuesday and the changes will follow over the coming weeks and months.

The Avenue in Greenwich Park will be closed throughout the week but the car park on Blackheath Avenue will remain open.

In Bushy Park, all through-traffic will be restricted with a partial road closure on Chestnut Avenue, between Teddington and Hampton Court Gates.

The Royal Parks said that many of the measures were effectively already in place due to restrictions introduced in response to lockdown being imposed in March.

North Carriage Drive was previously closed for half the year due to events in Hyde Park.

Cycling was temporarily banned in Richmond Park at the peak of the pandemic due to concerns about cyclists failing to socially distance.

The Royal Parks said Richmond Park was “the most complex of all our road networks” but insisted it was “absolutely committed to reducing cut-through traffic”.

It said: “Our studies show that the majority of all motor traffic in Richmond Park is through-traffic.

"By restricting this traffic in the park we will create safer and more enjoyable space for park visitors and improve park ambiance and environment.”

Mat Bonomi, head of transport for the Royal Parks, said: “Our movement strategy sets a clear vision for how we will manage our parks now and into the future.

"We know there is a lot of interest in what we will do next, particularly after the Covid-enforced road restrictions, so we are informing you now of our planned trials for later in the year.

“It is clear that the role parks play in the health and happiness of our cities has never been more important than it is now, and for that reason we are accelerating the implementation of a series of trial projects across six of our parks.

"Our parks have been a lifeline for Londoners during the pandemic and, with more people than ever walking and cycling in London, these trials will be a chance for Londoners to continue to enjoy new car-free areas of the parks.

“As the charity managing over 5,000 acres of historic parkland and green space across London, we must ensure that we conserve and enhance these unique spaces and support the health and happiness of Londoners now and in the future.”

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