Movement strategy
Since August 2020, The Royal Parks has been trialling a series of measures across five parks.
These trials aimed to reduce the impact of cut-through traffic, improve the park visitor experience and open up new spaces for everyone to enjoy.
Improving your experience in the Royal Parks
After over two years of trials, extensive park visitor engagement and an evaluation of the traffic impacts, we have decided to make the measures in Richmond, Bushy and Greenwich Parks permanent arrangements.
In St. James’s Park and The Green Park, we are continuing to analyse additional data and information, with the aim of continually improving these iconic park environments for visitors. The analysis includes incident statistics, how visitors use The Mall and Constitution Hill, and traffic management.
Once we have collated this additional information, we will decide whether to make this trial permanent for St. James’s Park and The Green Park.
In Hyde Park, the closure of South Carriage Drive will remain in place whilst we await a decision from Transport for London regarding their future plans for the cycle lane on Park Lane. We are working with TfL to address the safety concerns raised at the interface of the cycle lane with South Carriage Drive at the Queen Mother Gates. A decision on the permanence of trials at Hyde Park has not yet been made.
What is the Royal Parks movement strategy?
The movement strategy sets a long-term vision for how park visitors will move within, access and subsequently experience the parks.
The strategy includes a comprehensive exploration of all movement and access-related issues – and opportunities that are relevant to the parks, both now and in the foreseeable future.
This includes (but is not limited to) increasing safety for all park users, reducing the impact of cut-through traffic and reducing conflict between different user groups.
Ongoing trial project
In St James’s and The Green Park, closing The Mall and Constitution Hill to traffic on Saturdays until dusk, in addition to the regular Sunday closures. We are continuing to assess information related to this trial.
In Hyde Park, there are trial closures of North Carriage Drive permanently, and South Carriage Drive on Saturdays, in addition to the regular Sunday closures. We are continuing to work with TfL technical matters relating to this trial, a decision on this trial has not yet been made.
For more information about the consultation in individual Royal Parks, follow these links
Outcome of the Movement Trial in Bushy Park
The trial to close Chestnut Avenue to vehicle traffic between Teddington Gate and Hampton Court Gate is being made permanent.
By closing this link, we are creating a new park space for visitors within the centre of the park and are eliminating all commuting motor vehicles from Bushy Park. Visitors will still be able to drive to the park and the parking provision will be unaffected.
Movement trial to be extended
The trial in St James’s Park and The Green Park, in which The Mall and Constitution Hill are closed to traffic on Saturdays (they have long been closed on Sundays) will continue, while The Royal Parks gathers more data around how the public use this iconic space. This data will include incident statistics and traffic management analysis. Once we have collated all this additional information, we will decide on whether to make this trial permanent. We expect this decision to be made no earlier than Spring 2023.
St. James's Park & The Green Park Fact Sheet
St. James's Park & The Green Park Consultation Report
Outcome of the Movement Trial in Greenwich Park
The trial to close The Avenue to vehicle traffic seven days a week is being made permanent. The existing parking provision will remain, and visitors may still drive to the park, accessing the parking from Blackheath Gate only.
Greenwich Park Movement Trial Analysis
Greenwich Park Consultation Report
Outcome of the Movement Trial in Richmond Park
After extensive traffic analysis and over two years of trials, we are making three measures permanent:
- No through traffic between Broomfield Hill Car Park and Robin Hood Car Park
- A permanent closure of the vehicle link between Sheen Gate and Sheen Cross
- On weekends and public holidays, a restriction on all cut-through traffic between Roehampton and Richmond Gates.
The car park access arrangements that have been in place throughout the trial will also now be made permanent. Please refer to the map on this page for more detail.
Please remember that many of the park roads, whilst closed to general traffic for the enjoyment of park visitors, are still required for access by authorised vehicles. This can include park staff, park volunteers, White Lodge staff and students, residents and service vehicles.
Richmond Park Movement Trial Analysis
Richmond Park Consultation Report
Movement trial to be extended
The trial in Hyde Park, in which South Carriage Drive is closed to traffic on Saturdays in addition to the regular Sunday closure, will continue until the future of the Cycle Superhighway on Park Lane is decided by Transport for London. The cycle lane has forced the current full-time closure of South Carriage Drive.
Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens Fact Sheet
Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens Consultation Report
Public feedback and engagement
Throughout this process, we have asked the public for feedback around the development of the Movement strategy.
Thank you to everyone who took part in the engagement and consultation process. Your feedback was invaluable in putting the movement strategy together.
For more information please get in touch here.
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Consultation on weekday road closure of South Carriage Drive
A public consultation on whether South Carriage Drive in Hyde Park should be permanently closed to motor traffic on weekdays.
