A trial banning vehicles driving through a number of Royal Parks will commence on Saturday, including at Greenwich Park in south east London.

Six Royal Parks will see sections of roads closed off from August 15, the beginning of a six-month trial cutting down cut-through traffic.

Many of the restrictions have already been in place temporarily to limit the spread of Covid-19, and will actually see cars return.

Greenwich Park will see a full-time closure of the Avenue to vehicle traffic as part of the plans.

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Elsewhere, Bushy Park and Hyde Park will also see full-time closures.

Plans for the St James's Park and the Green Park will close The Mall and Constitutional Hill to traffic on Saturdays until dusk, with no public parking.

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Richmond Park, normally plagued with high levels of traffic, will see all through-traffic between Broomfield Hill Car Park and Robin Hood Car Park restricted on weekends, and a full-time closure of the vehicle link between Sheen Gate and Sheen Cross, plus further restrictions on weekends.

The trials across six of the Royal Parks to close sections of roads will begin on 15th August and will last six months, concluding in February 2021.

Drivers will be able to park in car parks as usual although access routes to certain car parks will be restricted.

The Royal Parks said "reducing cut-through traffic has long been an aspiration," and after having the parks closed to motor vehicles since the end of March due to Covid-19, a number of the proposed measures are already in place.

Mat Bonomi, head of transport for The Royal Parks, said: “People come to the parks to escape the busy city. These trials will help us create new, car free spaces for Londoners to soak up the natural environment on their doorstep.

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He said the "health and happiness of Londoners has never been more important."

"Parks play a crucial role in boosting the physical and mental wellbeing of city dwellers who are looking to escape the hustle and bustle for a breath of fresh air, and to enjoy the wonderful wildlife and landscapes.

“Our role, as the charity that cares for the 5000 acres of historic parkland, is to protect and preserve these parks. And we hope that these important first steps will go a long way to enable increasing numbers of visitors to walk and cycle in the parks safely and peacefully, now and into the future.”

But the move hasn't been popular amongst some who want cars fully banned from the parks.

 

 

The trials follow the launch of The Royal Parks' Movement Strategy in July, and will set a 'coherent framework to help shape and inform the policies relating to how park visitors can access, experience and move within parks.'

As part of the trials, visitor satisfaction surveys in the parks will be monitored, as well as stakeholder feedback, and a future formal consultation in November 2020.