CS11 Plans – Regents Park

deblemund wrote:We do

deblemund wrote:

We do actually under the Parks’ worry that reduced motor traffic levels will result in more speeding by motorists (at quiet times, 45mph cars are not uncommon).

I experienced this last week. I went for my regular spin around the Outer Circle and had to give up because despite hoping the park would have less traffic due to the school holidays, in fact there was less but it was all travelling faster, noisier, and was just worse. I decamped to the Inner Circle.

I don’t know what the solution is. Be careful what you wish for; there are many campaigning for a traffic-free solution but when you look at the photos of joggers walkers and cyclists sharing the new traffic-free roads in Central Park you just know that would be the death of using The Regent’s Park for a bit of training. They would slap a 10 mph limit on us overnight.

Traffic calming would also be a disaster for cycling.

So I’ve sort of come around to thinking we have to keep the traffic.

Maybe the best solution would be some closed gates to prevent the commuting rat-runs PLUS speed cameras to control the remaining traffic – including the Royal Parks’ own vehicles.

I would imagine the Royal Parks would object to cameras on the grounds of ‘heritage’ but it’s bizarre how parking a two tonne Range Rover in the park never seems to cause heritage problems.

Sounds like the road cyclists
Sounds like the road cyclists who use it are trying to have their cake and eat it; traffic free at times, but you’d object to physical attempts to restrict speed and to the 20 mph limit?

If it’s a shared space, if it is to develop as a safe haven for all kinds of cycling, I don’t see how you can combine the ‘needs’ of road cyclists and other users without some form of compromise.

crikey wrote:I’m less

crikey wrote:

I’m less concerned by the speed humps and more concerned that cyclists would appear to think that controlling speed is something that should happen to other forms of transport.

Making it car free for some time or distance sounds great. Assuming that cyclists can go as fast as they want sounds counter productive.

Not really. There is already a 30mph speed limit, which we think should be fully enforced against all forms of transport. Not many cyclists are breaking that law, unless they have borrowed Chris Froome’s invisible electric motor. Some cyclists are jumping red lights, so RP Cyclists are carrying out active education of RLJers (which has in general been well-received, and the amount of RLJing in the last few weeks has dropped dramatically).

The answer regarding physical counter-measures is complex, in part due to low lighting in the park and the varying uses of it. Nobody seriously thinks that 30mph cars (or 30kph cyclists) are dangerous. The problem only arises in the first place due to the plans to reduce traffic by as much as 80% through gate closures. We do actually under the Parks’ worry that reduced motor traffic levels will result in more speeding by motorists (at quiet times, 45mph cars are not uncommon). However, we do also consider that speed bumps and raised platforms are an un-necessary and dangerous addition.

RPC are working to get a balanced response for all users of the park including commuters, road cyclists and disabled cyclists that use the outer circle to exercise. The road surface and layout is a unique resource in central London, not just a through road.

BTW you can also follow the
BTW you can also follow the campaign on Twitter and Instagram (in each case via @RPCyclists) and get involved by joining the regular Monday night meetings at the Stag in Hampstead. Matt Barbet was at the last one!

crikey wrote:Eh?
Putting

crikey wrote:

Eh?
Putting speed humps in would destroy the place as a safe haven for cyclists?
How does that work then?

I would have thought that restricting speed in a public park was a good thing for everyone.

Lots of reasons: cars slamming on their brakes in front of us, low lighting levels in the park, loss of control and crashes especially where they use cobble facing. Also, cycling is not just a utilitarian form of transport; Regent’s Park is an important resource for commuting, young riders, and serious training, all of which would be pretty negatively affected by the installing of 14 speed bumps.

What we really need is to reduce access to motor vehicles using it as a rat run.

But if you don’t agree, you don’t have to get involved.