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Drivers' anger at charge for using Richmond Park
Ellen Widdup27 Jan 2009
PLANS to introduce parking charges at London's largest royal park have prompted a backlash.
The proposals, which could see visitors paying £2 an hour to use any of the six car parks serving 2,500-acre Richmond Park, have met criticism from those living nearby who claim it will force drivers onto residential roads.
Dozens of angry letters have been sent to the Royal Parks Agency, which is suggesting the changes as part of a consultation document on the future of parking facilities.
Many claim the agency is concentrating on implementing "universal policies" and failing to consider the greater impact on the local area.
Others have complained that the charges could result in a fall in the number of elderly and disabled visitors, who rely on vehicle access as well as leading to congestion in neighbouring residential roads.
Richmond Park was opened to the public in 1758. It is home to around 650 deer and is designated as a National Nature Reserve, a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation.
Felicity Debenham, a regular visitor who has written to the Royal Parks to express her concerns, claimed the charges would put an end to the two-and-a-half century old tradition of free use of open space. "It is very black news," she said. "They will start charging for air soon."
Fellow park user Diana Lloyd-Jones said: "It would really disappoint me if they introduce charges after all these years. I wouldn't come everyday, I would probably park outside and walk in. The residents will then suffer."
Richmond Park is one of only two spaces owned by Royal Parks which does not charge to use the car parks. The other is Bushy Park in Teddington. Visitors to Hyde Park and Regent's Park are charged £2 an hour while at Greenwich Park it costs £1 to park for an hour. Kensington Gardens, St James's Park and Green Park do not have car parks.
A spokesman for Royal Parks said he expected the charges for Richmond Park to fall in line with other Royal Parks car parks but added the agency would also consider the cost of on-street parking in the Richmond area before a decision is made.
"We are going to be holding a 12-week consultation with a number of potential changes to park regulations," he said. "Full details will be available on our website within three or four weeks. The document is still being finalised. There are a number of potential changes and that will include parking."
Susan Kramer, MP for Richmond Park and North Kingston, said residents were planning to fight the proposal. "Local people will understandably be worried their roads will be impacted by visitors trying to avoid paying," she said. "There is presently no public transport access to the park, and introducing charges may discourage the elderly and those on low incomes from visiting."
Reader views (49)
1. have disabled & elderly permits for those who actually NEED a car to get to the park
2. use a bike to get there!
3. get the cars out of the nature reserve
- Ed C, Putney London, 20/05/2010 21:37
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I visit Richmond park with my wife every few weeks for a walk and this country is bleeding everyone dry, we used to visit Hyde Park but since they charge even on a Sunday we no longer go its money money money with this goverment they want to suck every last penny out of the people of this country it has to stop now!!
Everywhere you go hospital, shopping, recreational open spaces money money money when will it all end...?
Richmond Council thanks a bunch!
- Steve, Greenford, West London, 07/02/2010 09:30
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84% said no to parking charges so please Margaret Hodge what has happened to democracy? Charging for parking with no reasonable public transport would make my daily Richmond and Bushy Park visits impossible and would greatly undermine mine and many other people's quality of life.
- Gabrielle, London, London, England, 04/02/2010 21:41
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Rather than penalising the people who spend time walking in Richmond Park, the ideal way to raise revenue is to have a charge that would target the car drivers who use the park as a short cut between main roads. Incidentally they also tend to the drivers who have scant regard for the 20MPH speed limit.
The way to implement this: have a ticketing system where all drivers take a ticket with the time on it when they enter the park and give it up on leaving the park and are charge if they spend less than, say, 30 minutes, in the park.
- Jane Avery, London, SW15, 31/01/2010 20:40
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This is really an outrage. Other than at weekends or bank holidays when the weather is good, there is seldom any trouble parking. Many regular park users like myself drive to it and then cycle, run or walk around it. It is simply not practical to say that we have to cycle or run there in the first place and to my knowledge, there is no adequate alternative option to arrive by public transport - certainly not from the Roehampton side.
Levying a charge to park is unfair and we all know that metered parking means that you must constantly keep clock watching to avoid a heavy fine for overstaying which will limit the potential for people to go for an extra lap when they're feeling good. Other people simply won't go in the first place. Too bad for the health benefits, money comes first for Royal Parks.
Parking should remain free but I would agree with a toll to use the Park as a drive through. I don't understand why this continues to be allowed and the traffic this creates seriously detracts from enjoyment of the facility. Why not limit free vehicle access to the car parks, there are adequate roads around.
- Phillip Henwood, Streatham, London, 26/01/2010 15:55
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Andrew
Why were cars pushing you off the roads? The RPA recently spent a large amount of money building segregated cycle paths all round the park, parallel with the roads, and across the middle too. So there is no need for cyclists to have to share with the motor traffic.
- Tim, London, 25/01/2010 16:12
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Oh Andrew & Paul....... deep down inside I agree with your utopian vision for Richmond Park, roads just for cycling, rollerblading etc. .. Bigger car parks just by the gates, and close the roads to through traffic. The car parks are needed for those who can't walk or cycle from home to the park, those with little kids etc..
However, we all know that Richmond Council are not doing this to make life in this area better, they are simply doing it to raise money. They will start at £1 an hour, and once the initial objection has worn off, will raise it to £1.60 or more, and so on. It will, of course, be in their interests to ENCOURAGE motorists to come into the park. Wider roads with markings might appear. New cafes. This is a Royal Park, which means that it belongs to the British Public. We are paying for it already!!!
- Bill, Putney, 23/01/2010 11:50
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The £1 an hour is just the begining. One year on and it will no doubt double and just imagine, taking shelter under the trees during a heavy shower might take 10 minutes - you get back to your car and are over the hour and a ticket is plastered to your windscreen..£30,£60 fine? It is so typical of everything to do with this government - yet ANOTHER stealth tax which hits the less well off!
- Jose Luis, London SW18, 23/01/2010 09:33
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Thank you Royal Parks for putting yet another nail in the coffin for the quality of life of those in this part of London who are not minted.
To assume that all who use a car have money is an affront on basic freedoms.
My parents are elderly now and cannot manage the walk to richmond park even from the bus stop. They drive and park and enjoy the place as best they can. Now they are already fretting as they won't be able to afford to park, be ruled by ticket times or walk the easy bits of the park.
There is no need for glitzy tarmaced car parks, The cinder rough and ready car parks are very much part of the rural appeal and are far more suitable for the environment.
Once again the less well off and the elderly get shafted by the idiots running places like the Royal Parks who are only there because of the taxpayers.
Maybe a closer look at the salaries and fees of 'consultants' would make for a better solution.
- Mike Brandt, Ealing London, 20/01/2010 13:57
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This is a total disgrace!!
A complete revenue earner as a result of reduced funding, despite the Goverments promotion of exercise for all ages. If there was a fully intergrated public transport system then there would be no reason to use a car, unfortunatly this is not the case and thus leaves little option. Am I expected to use my bike to get family & dog to the park to avoid paying car parking charges each time???
- Millie, Putney, 03/01/2010 19:45
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Some of you really don't have a clue. Not everyone can actually walk very far or get on/off a bus and will be penalised under a parking charge. Others manage may go for a walk/run on the way home so the park has health benefits even though they drive there. The £1 proposed hourly fee is bang out of order and purely a revenue earner. Nigel, you are talking rubbish. Where is the tube station near Kingston, Sheen or Roehampton Gate!?
- Henry The Third, London, UK, 26/11/2009 23:28
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I regularly use Richmond park and would stop if charged £2 an hour. This space is there to be used by the public and is not a source of revenue. There is a charitable trust responsible for Richmond and I contribute willingly to this, but regular users of the park should not be penalised.
- Mark, London, 26/11/2009 22:28
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Why should my dog not get a good walk just because i cannot afford this new proposed parking fee.The park is supposed to be for everyone to enjoy not just for those people who can afford it.If there has to be a charge why make it so high why not 50p an hour. It usually takes about an hour to walk the dog,that way we could still afford to come every day.
- Paul, putney, 26/11/2009 22:28
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Adrian from Richmond says 'To charge for people to exercise or relax in a Park is wrong.' Um, they're not planning to charge an entrance fee Adrian, just a very small fee to park. If you live in Richmond you could even walk there, better for your daughter surely? Plus you are being disingenuous when you say it's the only bit of green your family has access to - Richmond is hardly an urban jungle now is it? You have the terraces, Richmond Green and the river to walk along too. As for the 'tourists [who] visit it to enjoy the atmosphere' - do they drive there? Unlikely.
And Martin H Watson's point is clear Staker - he is saying you don't need a car to go to the park. Not sure which bit you found hard to understand!
- Lewis, London, 26/11/2009 22:28
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I'm with Stephen on this - just charge £1 to everyone who wants to drive a car through. I'm sure this will be easier to administer, create just as much revenue (hopefully ring-fenced to support work in the park itself), and have the knock-on benefit of an overall reduction in traffic with consequent environmental benefits, reduced maintenance, and vastly increased enjoyment for all park users.
Just how many genuine park users couldn't afford this, or couldn't get to the park via public transport? I would instinctively jump in the car, but it is only reading this article that has made me realise that I can actually hop on the 65 bus and get practically door to door, with less hassle than driving.
Come on everyone, drop your misconceptions and selfishness and look at the bigger picture.
- James, Ealing, UK, 26/11/2009 22:28
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I don't really have a problem with the car parks charging because they're always rammed and you can never get a space anyway!
As long as you don't have to pay to actually drive through the park.
- Matt, Richmond, 26/11/2009 22:28
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The only time I tried to go by car, the car parks were all full anyway and I ended up parking in a road nearly a mile away. Since then I've left my car at home. Use public transport! There are several train and tube stations within walking distance, and buses galore, with at least one bus route that goes right across the middle (Richmond park on one side and Wimbledon Common on the other).
Perhaps TfL could be persuaded to operate a shuttle bus actually through the park? Better one bus than hundreds of cars.
- Nigel, London, 26/11/2009 22:28
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As a North Kingston resident who lives next to Canbury Gardens I already know the potential impact on local residents. I try not to move my car on a Sunday as it is virtually impossible to park in my road, or the surrounding roads with visitors/rowers driving to Canbury Gardens/the Thames and the Boaters Inn. I think only prohibitive visitor parking charges (residents have to pay a yearly fee to park, which doesn't guarantee) would stop people parking in nearby streets and make people use public transport/walk.
- David Richardson, Kingston Upon Thames, England, 26/11/2009 22:28
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"Consultation document." Yeah, right.
- Paul, London, 26/11/2009 22:28
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This is unbelievable. My wife and I spend alot of time in the park with our daughter. It is the closest natural education source we have for a 5 year old child to enjoy the environment and learn about nature. Local people and tourists visit it to enjoy the atmosphere which is friendly and fun. The central London parks are different as they do not have a public golf course for one! Do not think they would agree to pay parking to play.and Richmond park is a local park for the people of Richmond, Kingston, Twickenham, Sheen, Putney. To charge for people to exercise or relax in a Park is wrong.
- Adrian, , Richmond, 26/11/2009 22:28
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Elsewhere we read that everyone wants the Queen to charge the public for looking round 'her' house - but charging a fairly minor fee by London's standards to wander round 'her' parks: that's NOT ON!
- Roz, Chamonix, France, 26/11/2009 22:28
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as other readers i find my occasuional trips difficult as i cannot find anywhere to park - the car parks are used by people dropping off their cars during the week and having a lift into London by others- make a charge
- Simon, london, 26/11/2009 22:28
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I guess it's one form of job creation I suppose. (Wardens - or what ever their title is these days)
- Nora, London, UK, 26/11/2009 22:28
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Like everything in this stinking little hole of a country if it moves, is fun or might possibly give us any form of pleasure charge for it. Don't you just love that word 'consultation' as well. Usually after a consultation comes some form of expense or misery.
- Stuart, london, 26/11/2009 22:28
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On Sunday we got the train to Norbiton, then a ten minute walk to Kingston Gate. We walked all over the park all afternoon, ending at Richmond gate, a short walk down the hill for a 33 bus home.
- Martin H. Watson, Teddington, 26/11/2009 22:28
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Those of us who object to these proposals need to organise ourselves.
Local people voted overwhelmingly in the 'consultations' against the previous gate closures in Richmond Park and against the expansion of Heathrow Airport and our views were ignored. The Royal Parks Agency has already made up its mind to impose this on us.
Are any readers aware of any group which is planning to protest or take peaceful direct action? I imagine tens of thousands or signatures could be gathered at the park at weekends and the press could be alerted.
- Stuart, Roehampton, 26/11/2009 22:28
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these charges could make a negative difference to weekend family life. why deter families from one
an activity other than shopping.
just another money spinning opportunity.
- Maureen Foustanos, ealing london, 26/11/2009 22:28
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If cars are charged to drive through the park it will cause chaos on the surrounding roads. The park is poorly served by public transport only the very fit will make it to the gates. I am not in favour of parking fees either, surely if there is one free thing for all people a walk in the park should be it. Is anyone doing a referendum or petition? And are the cycalists going to be asked to pay up too?
- Jacqueline Mckenzie, KINGSTON, SURREY, 26/11/2009 22:28
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I HAVE JUST RECIVED A NEW KIDNEY AFTER 5 YEARS AND HAVE MY LIFE BACK BUT I AM FINDING HARD TO WALK I WAS TOLD R/PARK WOULD BE GOOD PLACE TO VIST BUT IF I HAV E TO PAY I WOULD NOT AFFORD PLEASE DO NOT CHARGE FOR PARKING
- Bharat Nakarja, RUISLIP MIDDLESEX HA4 6SS, 26/11/2009 22:28
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It's an inspired policy that follows on naturally from the recent reduction of parking spaces in the park.
Pretty soon they'll have discouraged everyone from visiting and then they can legitimately claim it is under used and would be better sold to developers.
If the park needs to raise revenue then it should place a toll on those who use it as a thoroughfare (who are the overwhelming majority of park visitors) and not those who actually enjoy its facilities.
- John Robinson, Kingston-upon-Thames, 26/11/2009 22:28
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This is shocking. What next an entry fee if you walk in? How about a dog charge?
- Jo, Teddington, UK, 26/11/2009 22:28
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I frequently cycle through the park and often get pushed off the roads or cut off at junctions. I think the park should be for people not SUV's.
I would like to see the throughroutes cut, with each gate accessing a nearby car park.
As for increasing traffic volumes locally, less roads means less cars! Some of the folk above don't seem to have no green credentials.
- Andrew, Putney, 26/11/2009 22:28
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Great news! The less cars in the park the better. They smell and speed through the park like they own the place causing accidents and the like. I would like to see this go further however and restrict the roads in the park to cyclists only. Either that or ban cars from the park completely. That way we can keep it nice and clean and not have to worry about being run over.
- Paul, London, 26/11/2009 22:28
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At work,I was travelling from Isleworth to New Malden in my LGV van and,unwittingly, my sat nav took me along the B321 and through the Park. OUCH! £30 fine from PC Plod please!!! Well, 'I'm sorry officer a genuine mistake' but £30!!! Better signage please!!! and or a security man to say 'Sorry mate-no entry. I've reported this to TomTom to stop other non-local van drivers to re-route their journey. Nice little earner, copper!!
- Kevin, Southampton,England, 26/11/2009 22:28
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I use the park several times a week to walk,birdwatch and exercise my dog. As an elderly,rather lame pensioner I cannot use public transport to reach it. I will not be able to afford the charges. I am against any charge but at least weekdays should be free. The other parks which already charge have easy transport available.
- Elizabeth Quinn, Wimbledon, 26/11/2009 22:28
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Only after 12 years of Labour government could you expect the free and unhindered use of somewhere like Richmond Park to be challenged. The last thing anyone wants to see are "Civil Enforcement Officers" as I think they are ridiculously called, patrolling here.
Even if the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport does what Livingstone did with his "Consultation" about the Congestion Charge Extention, i.e. ignore the wishes of the people and go ahead anyway, I would hope such a decision would be reversed when a responsible Conservative government takes back control of the country Labour has so effectively bankrupted.
The disingenous claims trotted out within the Consultation about commuter parking and encouraging people to walk or take public transport may be valid for Hyde Park and other metropolitan parks but not Richmond.
We don't want to have to worry about keeping track of the time when out walking in this huge area of countryside and if you take public transport (I've never seen a bus on Priory Lane) where do joggers leave their jackets and bags etc?
This is a money grabbing exercise forced upon the Royal Parks starved of central funding because of what Labour has wasted (and how) elsewhere. Shame on them and their priorities.
- Peter, London, 26/11/2009 22:28
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Access to Snowdon isn't that easy either yet no-one complains about car park charges there. Free access to the parks is only guaranteed to people - dogs, cars, helicopters etc are free only because no-one has yet thought to charge for them in what is becoming a sorely over-pressurised resource courtesy of the motor car.
As for those who drive their dogs to the park twice a day to poo on someone else's property and maybe to chase someone else's livestock, well roll on those on-the-spot fines that are in the offing...
- John Bettes, London, 26/11/2009 22:28
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The best response to this would be a local campaign to boycott the park.
Presumably, they have already signed contracts for running the car parks, in which case they will have to pay for this contract (and the Traffic Nazis that will follow), but with zero revenue from car parking.
Hit them where it hurts!
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster, 26/11/2009 22:28
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Richmond Park is for free, all the Parks Authority is suggesting is that people pay to park. Hey, perhaps people might like to visit Richmond Park without driving there in their cars. How revolutionary would that be? The fewer cars in there, the better!
- Clive Green, London, UK, 26/11/2009 22:28
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Agree totally with Stuart!
When will they be removing the word free from the English language? Doesn't seem to have any use anymore?
- James P, Surbiton, 26/11/2009 22:28
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Carry on with the anti-car policies, and watch un-employment rise.
Listening to these 'green' idiots will close car and airplane factories, and drive many people into poverty.
- John, London, 26/11/2009 22:28
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If you can afford to sit in traffic for an hour en route to RP, you can afford to pay for the parking. It has always struck me as odd, given that the park is a conservation area, SSSI etc. that high traffic volumes are accepted. Maybe revenues collected from parking could be used to fund some form of public transport within the park.
- Alastair, London, 26/11/2009 22:28
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I agree totally with Stuart,but am surprised we can still get into any park for free.Richmond Park is a difficult place to get to, and around, without a car. The Royal Parks near me ( Regents and Hyde Park )seem to be forever renting them out for events.It'll be pay per view soon.
- Martin, london., 26/11/2009 22:28
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I would rather they charged cars £1 for driving through, or even better banned cars altogether.
- Stephen, London, 26/11/2009 22:28
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Martin H Watson,Teddington.
And your point is????????????????????
- Staker, London, 26/11/2009 22:28
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We don't get much in this world for free -- paying to go into Richmond Park -- disgusting -- leave well alone and let people enjoy some of the green space that we still have left remembering 'opened to the public in 1758.'
- Barbara, London, 26/11/2009 22:28
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As a father of a family of 4 i love going to richmond park with my children, i will now have to consider whether we can afford it, thanks!!
- Ben, London, UK, 26/11/2009 22:28
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The problems facing the Royal Parks stem from the reduction in government support. Despite the relentless rise in taxes over recent years the amounts made available for public services such as the Royal Parks have been declining.
The real culprit for the present predicament is the government - for quietly changing the operational basis of the Royal Parks. For some years the government has put the Royal Parks under pressure to generate new income or cut services.
We can debate whether there should be parking charges, but that is really just one cut in the process of death by one thousand cuts
If we want to ensure the services in the Royal Parks we should be holding the government to account. The Royal Parks sits in the middle, responsible for delivering government policy, not in setting it.
- Tim, London, UK, 26/11/2009 22:28
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It is disgusting to even contemplate to charge for parking in this magnificent nature reserve.....
Except for sunny weekends, parking has never been problem there and other restrictions (like a ban on trade vehicles) have been in place for years. I have seen the carparks mostly empty during workdays, when I went to cycle around the park.
The comment that "the car parks are used by people dropping off their cars during the week and having a lift into London by others" is complete nonsense, as the gates open and close with daylight (no day-long parking during the autumn and winter!).
Furthermore, RP is miles from any public transport and a long way out of Central London.
It is just another attempt to extort money from the public, which insults everyone's intelligence.
- Weddigen, London, 26/11/2009 22:28
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