Our courier riders often have to cross the Royal Parks. They cycle legally on cycle lanes. Or so we thought; for the past year, they have been harassed by Police, because they contravene a regulation that forbids commercial vehicles in the Parks. So far it has been fruitless to point out to the Royal Parks Agency and to the Health & Safety Executive that by enforcing this regulation (which I doubt was intended to cover pedal cyclists), our riders are forced on very dangerous roads, such as Park Lane, a virtual race track, with an official speed limit higher than the rest of Central London.
Last month, former Deputy Mayor Jenny Jones officially asked the Mayor whether forcing cyclists off cycle lanes made any sense:
Mayor answers to London
Couriers in the Royal Parks (rtf)
[Main question]
Question number 2802/2006
Meeting date 13/12/2006
Question by Jenny Jones
Are you aware that many pedal cycle couriers have been targeted by police for
riding on official cycle routes in the Royal Parks contrary to regulation 4
(27) of the Royal Parks and Other Open Spaces Regulations 1997 (SI No
1997.1639), which prohibits not just motor vehicles used or adapted for trade
or business in Royal Parks but also human powered vehicles so used? Will you
request the Royal Parks to change this regulation so that it only applies to
motor vehicles and that the police do not enforce it in relation to pedal
cycles in the meantime?
Answer by Ken Livingstone (2nd Term)
The MPS have responsibility for enforcing legislation within the Royal Parks.
The parks are used by a whole range of people including pedestrians and
families with small children, and the MPS has a responsibility to ensure that
pedestrian amenity and safety is not comprised by fast moving vehicles. TfL
is working closely with the Royal Parks Agency, and neighbouring boroughs to examine ways of opening up the parks to cyclists. TfL will consider the operation of these business and trade restrictions and investigate the feasibility of seeking to change them so as to better reflect my transport, climate change and social inclusion objectives. In the meantime, the MPS will continue to enforce Parks Regulations where appropriate.
[My emphasis]
One may think that this zealousness of the Police is caused by a general low level of crime. Wrong!!! We all know that bike theft in London has reached pandemic levels. Last night, a naive girl had left a Brompton in front of our shop chained with a flimsy cable lock, and went out drinking. Around closing time, a gentleman walked in the shop alerting us that he had just stopped two youths trying to brake the lock. Five minutes later the two rascals were at it again. I was in two minds, whether to grab a crowbar or scare them off immediately. The flimsiness of the lock compelled a swift response. I almost caught one, but these ruffians know how to get away fast. I then called the Police; I told them the thieves will be coming back and it is a good opportunity to catch them. There was uneasy silence at the other end of the line: I could feel what she was thinking: “This guy is suggesting we try and catch a couple of thieves. How naive. That is not what we do. We write reports of thefts”. She said: “I will send an officer, when one is free”. Sure. I put a big lock around the Brompton. The thieves came back but saw the opportunity had gone. Half an hour later, the owner of the bike returned and took the Brompton, very releaved. And the Police? Never bothered to check. Probably too many reports to write.
Image from a gallery by Luis Dominguez Muñoz
I hope the girl bought the big lock
http://coppersblog.blogspot.com/
that’s the impression I get
Good on you. I too hope she did buy that lock. Police and bureaucracy can sure be frustrating, especially police-bureaucracy.
The police ought to be ashamed of themselves. But well done for stopping another needless theft.
I don’t know why the police don’t go down to Brick Lane market where so many of these stolen bikes get resold, and just put the scares about these people. How many officers would that take?
[...] Bicycle couriers in London are being forced to take dangerous routes as they are not allowed to use certain cycle paths. London parks have laws forbidding access to commercial vehicles and despite the fact that these are bikes, on bike lanes, the police have been enforcing this law. [...]
Actually commercial vehicles are not completely prohibited from travelling through the Royal Parks – they just need written permission from the Secretary of State to do so, so why wait for TfL to do something? Perhaps we could ask for general permission for all commercial cycles while we’re at it?
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1997/19971639.htm
“Acts in a Park for which written permission is required
4. Unless the Secretary of State’s written permission has first been obtained, no person using a Park shall -
… (27) drive or ride any vehicle which is constructed, adapted or in use for the purpose of a trade or business except as specified in Part I of Schedule 2 to these Regulations;” which in turn reads:
“Regulation 4(27)
Vehicles constructed, adapted or in use for the purpose of a trade or business which may be driven or ridden on a Park road
1. A taxi.
2. A vehicle in use for the purpose of transacting business with any person either residing in a Palace or Park or using land therein under licence from the Secretary of State.
3. A vehicle in use for the purpose of the repair or removal of any other vehicle which is broken down in a Park.”
Iain,
You are perfectly right, and we have asked for exactly that, a formal permission to ride in the park. I am afraid that it has not been granted.
BTW, we occasionally do deliveries to the Police Station in Hyde Park. Those trips are authorised (point 2 above)
why lock a Brompton up outside in the first place? they are the smallest folding bikes and maintain a good re-sale value
We have a same case in our country.. If you will leave a bike outside.. just count 1-20 and your bike will be gone..