KingstonWheelers.com

Phil Ember · Joined: 03 Jun 2007 Posts: 168

I've been cycling in the park over the weekend for the first time since "the big freeze". The new surface had seemed to be bedding down OK before all the snow and ice, but it's now terrible again - the stretch between Richmond and Roehampton gates in particular, where all the gravel seems to have come unstuck.

It's perfectly rideable if you stick to the car tyre tracks, but it's causing loads of people to puncture. Worse though it that much of the surface now just seems to be exposed tar. I had loads of little black specks stuck to my bike from it which no degreaser would get rid of - had to use white spirit to remove them, which is probably not the best thing to use to clean a bike but is the only thing that seems to work against tar.

Not happy!

andyedwards · Joined: 20 Sep 2009 Posts: 354

Agreed. On the ride to and from the club run I saw quite a few people mending punctures. The decent off the climb from Kingston Gate to Roehampton Gate was particularly bad but the flat run in to the cafe was OK.

Damien Breen · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 260 Location: London W6

I went home via the park yesterday as well and was surprised how bad the surface was. Surely all that gravel isn't just what was put down earlier coming unstuck?

Whatever their intention was to improve the roads it really hasn't worked! I leave the park through Sheen Gate and the road leading up to it is beautifully smooth and free of gravel - why can't the rest of the park's roads be surfaced in the same way?!

Fingers crossed the road will improve and the gravel disappears again over time.
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Alan Sherman · Joined: 22 Oct 2005 Posts: 1463 Location: Putney

Would the RPA make the roads appear really rubish, so once the parking charges are in then they can 'improve them' to show the vlaue from the parking charge?

I'm just too cynical....

Gary Lee · Joined: 09 Aug 2008 Posts: 460 Location: Chessington

I believe, by law, all money made from council parking, must go back into parking and transport, I am not sure if mending roads is classed as transport because that is where money from our council tax goes. I may be wrong and talking out of my 4rse.

I think the road surface will be done pretty quickly as it is about the time councils start using up all the money for year end.

On the charging for parking, there will be an initial drop in cars parking, but not a drop in cars using the park, then there will be a slight drop in cars using the park as they don't want to pay for parking, the roads around will become blocked as people try to find a space just outside the park, then in about 8 weeks it will all return back to normal once people get use to it.
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Keith G · Joined: 07 Nov 2006 Posts: 759 Location: Twickenham

I've got to say that the charges for Richmond and Bushey parks are not going to affect the level of traffic in the parks, as the majority of traffic doesn't actually park but use them as a cut through. It really p****s me off when they try to justify the charges by using a green argument when the majority of polluters will go untaxed Evil or Very Mad

emily.b · Joined: 07 Jun 2009 Posts: 454 Location: Isleworth

Personally i always thought they should make a minimum time that a car can be in the park before leaving or they incur a charge. That way the elderley, young families, disabled etc would still be able to use the park freely, but the rat runners would reduce.

Re the road surface, very strange. I just don't understand why they don't send a sweeper round to clear all the loose stones... Confused

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emily.b

brianm · Joined: 10 Jun 2009 Posts: 98 Location: New Malden

There was a stone sweeper going round the park this afternoon. The surface is much clearer. Still some nasty new potholes, though.
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James B · Joined: 25 Jul 2005 Posts: 1873 Location: Geneva

Did the Park authorities hire the Ball Brothers gang to lay the tarmac?

Ben Elliott · Joined: 04 Jun 2007 Posts: 234 Location: Wimbledon

It is a pain on a saturday or sunday when cars are queueing to get into the car parks. The charging might alleviate this at least.

I reckon the main park road should be made one way, splitting half the road for cyclists and half the road for cars. Question is, if you could only ride in one direction would it be CW or CCW?

maryka · Joined: 20 Oct 2008 Posts: 1197 Location: Kingston

roger merriman · Joined: 14 Jun 2007 Posts: 570 Location: hampton

with out cars you'd get walkers or rather more, can see this else where.

James W · Joined: 09 Jul 2007 Posts: 1024 Location: Wimbledon

Just close it to everyone all the time. Problem solved.

Steve Irwin · Joined: 22 Aug 2009 Posts: 397

nickhussey · Joined: 12 Apr 2007 Posts: 3132 Location: Wimbledon

The park is and should be for the enjoyment of all, not just specific interest groups like us. Much as it'd be nice.
Car drivers use it as a cut through (I do too), but they also use a car to park. On one end of the scale you have old and infirm people who require access to parking by car, and on the other Chelsea Tractors walzing around trying to kill us. We can't block out an entire form of transport. And the loss of goodwill towards cyclists would be catastrophic. Not that it will ever happen.
The best idea I've seen was raised earlier. An entry toll of a quid or so and no parking charges.
Oh, and in the Summer it can be mayhem, with 'illegal' parking on verges in dangerous places like downhill bends (no, seriously). IS it illegal? And can the police enforce parking tickets? If they can, I've never seen any.
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Oh well.