No to the Richmond Park car park charges

Since the time that John Lewis a Richmond Brewer took legal action in 1758 to confirm the right of access for pedestrians at all times, Richmond Park has been open to the public. Unfortunately John Lewis did not take into account the invention of the motor car some 150 years later and the subsequent explosion of its use by humans. Today we find that users of the park who come by motor car are going to be charged for parking.

Proponents of the implementation of parking charges in Richmond Park argue that this will allow resurfacing work of the car parks to be achieved. They also argue the charges may discourage people arriving in the park by car and this is good for the environment and their health. They also point out that the charges are about the price of a cup of coffee and people can well afford to pay the charge. All these points are valid but do not recognise the loss of a historical freedom and tradition if these charges are implemented.

The park is not open to traffic 24 hours a day and is open to traffic only during daylight hours. During the average week the park is not overcrowded and it is normally possible to easily find a parking space. This for weekday users of the park is a marvelous liberty. It is true that on hot sunny weekends the car parks can become overcrowded as people flock to the open space, but this is really the exception rather than the rule and may happen only on a few weekends of the year.

In this country we are charged a lot for our council tax, our fuel, our food, wine and beer and increasingly the charges go up, not to mention our income tax. The introduction of car parking charges in Richmond Park is just another charge that is to be added to our daily lives. Historically the park has been free to all users and the introduction of car parking charges will end this liberty.

Hardest hit will be the dog owners who may visit on a daily basis. The charging will add up, should they arrive by car and many do, as they do not live in proximity to the park. Then there is the person who drives through the park and might wish to stop and stretch their legs. Now they will have to pay a charge for just wishing a few moments to enjoy the surroundings.

For many the park is part of their lives. The benches dedicated to grandparents, parents, relatives and friends all pay testimony to the park and its part in people’s lives. Should people want to go and sit on a memorial bench that is special to them, and they need to arrive by car they will now have to pay.

Expecting mothers have always had the possibility of driving to a car park and taking some exercise during their pregnancy without incurring any cost. New mothers have always been able to take their babies and kids to the park to take some exercise and get some air, at no additional cost. The young mother or mother to be who would need to access the park by car will now incur an extra cost for parking. The cost will add up.

The park is an antidote to the stress of modern life. Now people will have to worry about getting back to the car park in time for fear of incurring a fine. Some will answer this by saying put 3 pounds in the machine and you can stay as long as you like. True, but it is free and should remain free. The spontaneity of stopping off for some air and enjoying this privilege (and it is a privilege) for free will be lost.

People suggest taking the bus to the park. The only bus that stops by the gates is the 371. (Richmond Gate, all other buses require a walk). Other buses take you near, but should people wish to access some points of interest in the park such as the Isabella plantation, the Pen Ponds, White Lodge or Pembroke Lodge, now they will have to pay. Should you be driving through the park and just wish to take a quick stroll through the Isabella plantation you will have to pay.

The environmentalists, who are against the usage of the motor car in the park, do not forget the fact cars are getting cleaner, and in the future we may have electric cars. People driving at 20mph to Pembroke Lodge to take a cup of tea, does not cause the environmental damage to this planet. Your sights should be on the heavy polluters of industry and the subsequent greenhouse gasses that are emitted rather than a weekday user of Richmond Park.

The car parks in Richmond Park have generally always been potholed and uneven. Therefore it is necessary to drive very slowly in the car park to minimize the many jolts or to prevent the stones flicking your bodywork. It also increases your attention in an area where kids, dogs and grannies are either being loaded up or unloaded and a football being enthusiastically bounced and run after. The issue of increased parking in the streets around the park to circumvent the charge is also of concern.

People use the car parks in Richmond Park for park usage only. They are not used in order to take advantage of free parking for trips to the shops or the railway station. Opening times of the park to traffic and distance from the shops would rule that out. If hospital workers are using Kingston Gate car park as has been suggested, the 3 pound charge will still be better value than the hospital car park charges. The only people who are being penalised is the visitor to the park who arrives by motor car. They have only come to benefit from the park and enjoy the surroundings and take some exercise.

To those who agree with the charges, of course you are entitled to your opinion. Arcadian Times believes that a historical tradition is being forsaken, and that the deep relationship that people and families have with the park that goes back decades is being compromised. To say that the people can afford to pay is disingenuous. The charges would be reviewed after eighteen months and perhaps they would be higher.

Yes some people are able to enjoy the park on foot or bicycle and will avoid the charge. When they are older or for some reason wish to take an elderly relative by car to a cherished part of the park, they will be charged. The proposed implementation of the car parking charge must be opposed to maintain the continuity of the generations that use the park, and their ability to use and access it when and how they wish and for free.

The car parking charge is just another pound taken from your pocket by an increasingly mean minded society. If you oppose the charges, make your voice known and join the 84% of park users who oppose the charge at the rally at Pembroke Lodge on January 30th at 10.30 am.

Article: Arcadian Times, January 18th, 2010.