Through traffic could be prevented from driving in the Royal Parks in London to help make the open spaces more pleasant for visitors. Consultation has opened on a series of measures in a new movement strategy for the eight parks that include Regent’s and Richmond.
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“We have no hidden agenda to ban cars,” the Royal Parks’ head of transport Mat Bonomi told TP Weekly News. “A lot of the time, using the car makes sense for park activities especially for those with mobility issues or for families with children. But we want to reduce the amount of traffic that passes through the parks without stopping.”
Roads inside each of the Royal Parks are not designated as public highway and some are closed to traffic overnight, such as at Richmond Park.
“We would like to see people have better, safer and more enjoyable walking and cycling experiences and for more people to arrive using sustainable transport,” Mat Bonomi added. “This piece of work is a first stage at engagement.”
There are 51km of road within the Royal Parks and 109km of footpath, bridleway and cycle routes. It is thought there are 77M visitors to the parks every year. A survey last year found that 39% of visitors arrive on foot, with 36% coming by public transport and only 17% arriving by car. Views on the movement strategy are welcome until 14 July.
(Photograph: The Royal Parks)
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