Royal Parks bosses are set to ban “rat-running” drivers after a massive majority of respondents to a consultation supported traffic restrictions.
Parks such as Richmond Park, Regent’s Park and Hyde Park are blighted by motorists using them as shortcuts, particularly during morning and evening rush hours.
A Royal Parks survey on whether to discourage commuters from driving through the eight parks found 78 per cent support and 17 per cent opposition. Almost 7,000 people responded.
Mat Bonomi, head of transport for the Royal Parks, told the Standard: “The survey is just one piece of the decision-making matrix ... but it provides us with a really great starting point and a great mandate to be a little more courageous and think outside the box.”
The Royal Parks drew up draft “movement principles” last summer in a bid to preserve the parks as a “refuge” from city life. Almost 7,000 people responded to a consultation.
Eighty five per cent said conserving the parks should be a top priority; 79 per cent said walking, cycling and public transport should be promoted as “sustainable” ways of getting to the parks; and 73 per cent said walking should be prioritised as the main way of moving around within the parks.
Mr Bonomi said the issues with driving in Richmond Park sparked the biggest response but the opposition to through traffic was “pretty similar” across all eight parks.
He said the Royal Parks was not seeking to prevent park users from arriving by car. Any changes to traffic access would need approval from Transport for London and stakeholders such as the local council. “We can’t just close the gates tomorrow and hope it all goes well,” he said.
A cross-park strategy is due to be published in January, followed by proposals for each park in “early to mid” 2020.
Parliamentary approval is required to alter speed limits or parking charges in the parks, but not to close roads.
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