London Zoo opposes cycle superhighway – says gate closures will make it "extremely difficult" for visitors and deliveries

ZSL London Zoo has registered its opposition to Cycle Superhighway 11 (CS11) on the grounds that the proposed closure and timing restrictions of Macclesfield Gate would make things ‘extremely difficult’ for visitors arriving by car or coach as well as for those making deliveries.

CS11 is proposed to run from Swiss Cottage to the West End via Regent’s Park. It has received strong opposition in some quarters with London Cycling Commissioner, Andrew Gilligan, last week telling road.cc: “Genuinely I think people have fundamentally misunderstood what’s happening here. What we’re seeing is a lot of opposition to things we’re not actually proposing.”

A statement on the ZSL London Zoo website reads:

“As an international conservation charity, we always encourage use of transport options that reduce our environmental impact.  Most of our visitors use public transport and we have two Santander Cycle stations at ZSL London Zoo.

“Some of our visitors, like school children, have to rely on cars or coaches. The closure and timing restrictions of Macclesfield Gate for the proposed cycle super highway would make it extremely difficult for these visitors and crucial deliveries, including animal feed, to get to ZSL London Zoo, and as such we have registered an opposition to the proposal because of the proposed gate restrictions.

“The revenue generated from all visitors at ZSL London Zoo helps to fund our charitable worldwide work for wildlife and we want to make sure all of our visitors are able to access the Zoo easily. ZSL London Zoo is keen to work with TFL to find an alternative solution that works for all.”

Mark Treasure of campaign group The Cycling Embassy of Great Britain tweeted to point out that the zoo would remain easily accessible under the plans.

Macclesfield Gate (red) would close. But Hanover & Gloucester Gates (green) will be open, all day. No access issues pic.twitter.com/JHnOxOaMIU

— Mark Treasure (@AsEasyAsRiding) March 21, 2016

In response to that tweet, others have said that Macclesfield Gate is closed to coaches already.

Responding to suggestions that the new road layout would lead to longer journey times, Andrew Gilligan told road.cc that return journeys would actually be shorter without the gyratory.

"This scheme will turn Regents Park from a traffic rat run back into a park. It will remove the hideous gyratory at Swiss Cottage and replace it with a public space outside the library, and it won’t even slow motorists down.

“If you go on the TfL website, it shows that southbound journeys on the Finchley Road will be ten minutes quicker, at least, because you won’t have to go around the gyratory, and then in the northbound direction it won’t be more than two minutes slower – so overall, anyone who makes a return journey on the Finchley Road, even in a car, will benefit from this scheme."