Greenwich Park will reopen to cars next week when its parking spaces are reopened – but through traffic will still be banned.
The park gates were closed to all vehicles at the beginning of the coronavirus crisis and have stayed closed as businesses begin to open up again. Over 2,800 people have signed a petition for cars to be permanently banned from Greenwich and other royal parks.
Royal Parks confirmed to 853 today that parking will return on weekdays only from Tuesday 14 July, from 7am to 4pm. The only access will be via the Blackheath gates.
However, Royal Parks has also announced today that the ban on through traffic will remain in place as part of a six-month trial across its London parks.
Vehicles had been able to use the park as a cut-through during the evening rush hour, but Royal Parks signalled last year that it was considering ending this when it began consulting on a new “movement strategy”.
A consultation found 82 per cent of park users strongly agreed with stopping driving through the park, although half of all respondents said they cycled there so it is likely more cyclists took part. Only 11 per cent of respondents said they drove to the park.
In June 2007, a man was killed while cycling on The Avenue, the hill running through the park, when a driver hit him head-on. The road is due to be included on an extension to Transport for London’s Quietway 1 cycle route, from Greenwich station towards Bexleyheath.
There has traditionally been strong resistance in streets west of Greenwich Park to the idea of closing it to through traffic, however this may be addressed by a scheme to cut rat-running there.
853 produces public interest journalism for Greenwich and SE London and is part-funded by its readers. If you would like to help keep it running, become a member:
- Join us on Steady at steadyhq.com/853 – donate monthly amounts in pounds
- Find us on PressPatron at presspatron.com/853 – donate monthly or annual amounts in pounds, or make a one-off donation
- We’re also on Patreon at patreon.com/853 – donate monthly amounts in dollars
- Buy the site editor a coffee (or other beverage) at ko-fi.com.
Thank you for your support – the site would not exist without it.