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Legal moves next in Richmond Park traffic row The council is taking urgent legal advice over the decision by the Royal Parks to close Richmond Park's Robin Hood Gate on March 18. Roehampton residents fear an extra 700 extra vehicles an hour could be forced onto local roads if the unelected body goes ahead with the closure. Last Thursday's regeneration and transport overview and scrutiny committee (February 21) was told that parks bosses had ignored the results of consultation last year which revealed overwhelming opposition to the closure plans. Wandsworth could also be joined by the Mayor of London in challenging the proposals after it was confirmed that Transport for London, which is responsible for the A3 Roehampton Vale, had not been consulted on the gate's closure. TfL have voiced concerns about the effects of traffic being diverted onto local roads and bus journey times. They are now reconsidering the council's request for a ban on town-bound drivers on the A3 using Roehampton's Alton Road as a rat run to avoid the queues at the Roehampton Lane. This measure could be one of a number that the Mayor would insist are in place before any decision is taken on preventing traffic from entering the park at Robin Hood Gate. Alton Road, which runs past family housing, a primary school and a blind persons' home, will come under increasing pressure once traffic diverted from Robin Hood Gate is forced to use the A3 at Roehampton Vale. Cabinet member for regeneration and transport Kathy Tracey said the Royal Parks had acted insensitively throughout: "The consultation process has been flawed from start to finish. The agency has never taken any account of the impact of the closure on the wider area. We will be seeking an urgent meeting with the Royal Parks to spell out our determination to protect the interests of our residents. "It is unacceptable that an organisation which is responsible ultimately to the Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell should think itself beyond the normal conventions of public accountability. We shall be calling on Tessa Jowell to recognise the extent of public anger at the way their views have been dismissed." The committee also agreed to ask their counterparts on Kingston and Richmond councils to reconvene the cross-borough Richmond Park Forum which was set up during the original consultation on the agency's plans for restricting traffic in the park. Council concerns for residents should Robin Hood Gate be closed.
Change to RPA status fuels concerns over future access to Richmond Park. Details of the Proposals made by the Friends of Richmond Park More arguements against closure of the gates Peter Duffy argues against the plans for restricting traffic in Richmond Park |