From Newsgroup: uk.rec.cycling


Royal Parks cancels Richmond Park time trials over fears cyclists will
break 20mph speed limit, after inquest into pedestrian fatality in rCLspeedingrCY cyclist collision rCLbrought this activity to peoplerCOs attentionrCY

The races will be paused as the parksrCO management rCLevaluates our positionrCY
rCo but rCLfumingrCY organisers say decision has been clouded by rCLvery irresponsible journalismrCY and that the alternative is rCLbusy roads and fast-moving carsrCY

by RYAN MALLON THU, JUN 13, 2024 11:47

Two time trial events set to take place in LondonrCOs Richmond Park over the next month have been cancelled by the Royal Parks, after the charity
claimed that the media coverage surrounding the death of an elderly
pedestrian hit by a rCLspeedingrCY cyclist in RegentrCOs Park rCLbrought this activity to peoplerCOs attentionrCY, and that the time trials will rCLencourage cyclists to go fasterrCY than the parkrCOs 20mph limit for motorists.

The Royal Parks, the charity that manages LondonrCOs eight royal parks, has said it will rCLpauserCY the popular events while it evaluates its position, despite organisers and local cyclists arguing that the long-running time
trials rCLpose no harm to anyonerCY and that any alternative routes comprise of rCLmostly busy roads and fast-moving carsrCY.

The Richmond Park Time Trials, organised by the London Dynamo cycling club
and first run in 2009, until this year provided the only opportunity for cyclists to race against the clock in one of the capitalrCOs royal parks.

Covering a 10.4-mile circuit in the south-west London park, the races rCo
which were due to take place on 23 June and 7 July this year rCo have been praised for their inclusivity and for providing a gateway into the sport, enabling beginners to compete on road bikes and on almost traffic-free
roads due to their 6am starts.

However, it was confirmed last night by London Dynamo that this yearrCOs time trials will not go ahead, after the Royal Parks decided to rCLpauserCY the events in the wake of the media coverage surrounding the inquest into the tragic death of an elderly pedestrian following a collision with a cyclist
in RegentrCOs Park in June 2022.

Last month, a coronerrCOs inquest heard that cyclist Brian Fitzgerald was
part of a group riding laps of RegentrCOs ParkrCOs Outer Circle and travelling at between 25-29mph when he hit the 81-year-old pedestrian, causing her to suffer several broken bones and bleeding on the brain, injuries she died
from in hospital two months later.

Fitzgerald was not prosecuted, however, for his role in her death, with the Metropolitan Police deeming there was rCLinsufficient evidence for a real prospect of convictionrCY.

Following the inquest, the Royal Parks contacted Strava to request that the parkrCOs Outer Circle segment be deleted, believing that this may deter cyclists from riding the route at high speeds, and prompting the
ride-sharing app to remind its users and the public that rCLhazardousrCY segments can already be flagged and urging cyclists to rCLprioritise everyonerCOs safetyrCY.

And now, the Royal Parks have moved to cancel the long-standing summer time trials in Richmond Park, due to the charityrCOs belief that rCLsuch events encourage cyclists to go faster than the 20mph motorist speed limitrCY in
place in most of the park (despite those speed limits not applying to cyclists).

But the eventrCOs organisers, who carry out a detailed risk assessment for
the event alongside governing body Cycling Time Trials (though the Richmond Park time trials are notably exempt from CTTrCOs new guidelines concerning 20mph speed limits), say the decision has been clouded by rCLvery
irresponsible journalismrCY surrounding the recent coronerrCOs inquest.

rCLWe are very upset about this decision as we have been arranging this event for 15 years and it has become one of our key events,rCY London DynamorCOs Andy Taylor told participants in an email sent on Wednesday night, informing
them that full refunds will be sent out in the coming days.

rCLWe also feel sorry for all of the entrants, sponsors, support staff, and volunteers who have been making plans to participate in these events. The
TTs have become very popular within the local cycling community, offering
an opportunity to ride in the unique environment of the park in relatively traffic-free conditions.

rCLWe have worked very closely with TRP since the inception of our Club over
20 years ago and like to think that we have a close, collaborative
relationship with them. The Time Trial events are operated under a license
that we have with TRP and they have been kept fully informed of our plans
and provided with all the relevant documentation in relation to the events.

rCLWe are passionate about safety and risk management and put this at the centre of everything we do. As part of the planning for the events, we put together a very detailed risk assessment that was developed in conjunction
with the national body for cycling time trials rCo Cycling Time Trials (CTT).rCY

Taylor continued: rCLHowever, we became aware several weeks ago that TRP was having some reservations about such events in the light of, in my opinion,
some very irresponsible journalism following a coronerrCOs inquest into the tragic death of a pedestrian in RegentrCOs Park two years ago that involved a cyclist.

rCLAt that time, we submitted a written case to TRP for the retention of
these events and offered to make any changes that they considered necessary
to make these events even safer.

rCLUnfortunately, they have taken the decision to cancel the events with one
of the key reasons being that they believe such events encourage cyclists
to go faster than the 20mph motorist speed limit that is in place in most
of the park.rCY

This morning, local campaign group Richmond Park Cyclists claimed that
Royal Parks manager Paul Richards, explaining the decision to cancel the
event, told them: rCLThe cyclist involved in the fatal cycling crash was carrying out a time trial/speed laps. This has brought this activity to peoplerCOs attention.rCY

Richards is also claimed to have said that the Royal Parks rCLrequired a pauserCY in the events rCLto evaluate our position aligned across all [our] parksrCY.

rCLRichmond Park Cyclists learned of TRPrCOs intentions a month ago and we attempted to get them to change their decision,rCY the group said.

rCLLondon Dynamo, which has been running the RPTTs for 15 years, does a risk assessment for the events in conjunction with Cycling Time Trials, and
there have never been any serious safety-related incidents to our
knowledge.

rCLThe RPTTs are inclusive events rCo anyone with a just basic road bike can take part. They are incredibly popular with all sections of the cycling community, pose no harm to anyone, and we will continue to make the case
that the events should be reinstated next year.rCY

Speaking to road.cc, London Dynamo chair Taylor again expressed his disappointment at the decision to cancel the races, which according to him
the Royal Parks claimed was based not only on the time trialsrCO apparent rCLencouragementrCY of excess speed, but also the rCLthreatrCY posed by the parkrCOs
deer population to the participants rCo but which Taylor believes owes more
to the anti-cycling sentiment surrounding LondonrCOs parks in recent weeks.

rCLWerCOve had a very longstanding, good relationship with the Royal Parks,rCY Taylor told road.cc. rCLWhile werCOre very disappointed and upset with the decision, we understand where theyrCOre coming from rCo but I still disagree with it.

rCLI think theyrCOve come under a lot of pressure following that media storm around the coronerrCOs inquest. There was a lot of anti-cycling sentiment around it, so I can see why they did it.

rCLWe offered to meet them and collaborate with them. We did a very detailed risk assessment rCo every bump and corner in the park was assessed, we have lots of marshals.

rCLAnd thererCOs barely any traffic rCo most of the time werCOre out before the gates have even opened for car traffic. So itrCOs very frustrating that they didnrCOt really engage with us and just decided to cancel it. I think they didnrCOt want to see themselves associated with an event linked to excessive speed in the park.rCY

Taylor said he first rCLcaught windrCY that the Royal Parks were raising concerns about the time trials last month, when the media coverage around
the coronerrCOs inquest was at its height, leading to London Dynamo rCo along with the Richmond Park Cyclists group rCo deciding to lobby the charity to ensure the races could go ahead.

However, despite a prolonged back-and-forth exchange over email, Taylor
claims the ParksrCO board of directors declined the opportunity to meet face-to-face to discuss the issue.

The cycling club chair notes that one email he received from the Royal
Parks claimed that the time trials were rCLpromotingrCY cyclists riding faster than the 20mph speed limit for motorists and that the parkrCOs deer rCLposed a dangerrCY to those taking part.

rCLThe deer can be a hazard, but thatrCOs something all the riders are warned about,rCY he says. rCLItrCOs not a new thing, everyone knows the deer are there.

rCLNeither of these things are new rCo the 20mph speed limit has been there for quite some time. So you have to question the timing of the decision. They didnrCOt mention the RegentrCOs Park incident to us at all, but the two are clearly closely linked.rCY

With caterers, volunteers, and marketing commitments lined up, Taylor says
he pushed the Royal Parks for a final decision this week, leading to the eventsrCO cancellation last night rCo a decision the London Dynamo chair fears may prove permanent and extend beyond this year.

Responding to the eventrCOs cancellation this morning, the time trialsrCO founder, Rebecca Slack, said she was rCLutterly fumingrCY at the news.

rCLIt was to be my 17-year-old sonrCOs first TT,rCY she wrote on social media. rCLThe alternatives involve mostly busy roads and fast-moving cars rCo thatrCOs why I founded them.rCY

A number of cyclists have also pointed out the irony inherent in the charityrCOs stance on an event that takes place in the early morning and
twice a year.

rCLOn that basis driving in the park shouldrCOve been banned a long time ago,rCY
one X, formerly Twitter, user wrote.

Taylor, meanwhile, is focused on securing another venue for the annual time trial events.

rCLI asked the Royal Park if this was all just a temporary reaction to
current events, but they said it was likely to be permanent,rCY he says.

rCLWerCOre just thinking about what we do next. WerCOd like to keep a time trial
event on our calendar, but itrCOs unlikely to be in Richmond Park. WerCOll have to look elsewhere for another venue.rCY

The Royal Parks have been contacted by road.cc for comment.

<https://road.cc/content/news/royal-parks-cancels-time-trials-over-speeding-cyclists-fears-308845>
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