Park update
Pedestrians who live near Bushy Park have spoken of the bad state of the pavements outside the park wall.
Parts of Sandy Lane road itself have recently been resurfaced but not the pavement – residents have pointed out that the visitors to the park who use the nearby bus stop, particularly elderly and those in wheelchairs or with buggys find it difficult to use the pavement.
A recent council survey highlighted that potholes and broken paths are two of the main concerns for residents so £500,000 is being invested in maintenance. Next weekend 21st and 22nd May 8-5 and 9-5pm respectively, road works will take place on Sandy Lane (possibly to involve pavement repair) – during this time the road will be closed westbound and one-way traffic only allowed towards Kingston.
Since Bushy Park’s Upper Lodge car park has been reduced in size and the unofficial ‘overflow’ parking area removed, visitors to the park have found a severe lack of parking spaces during the recent hot spell. At one point, almost a hundred cars were parked along the internal roads outside of the official car parks.
Royal Parks had also stopped traffic to Teddington Cricket Club except for grounds-staff but now reinstated this for the time being. Until now police had turned a blind eye to the unofficial parking but recently were seen issuing parking tickets to cars parked on grass areas.
Photos: John Thaxter
Recent rain may have helped plants and grass in the area but park-users are reminded to take care to prevent fires in Richmond and Bushy Park. Recently a fire broke out in Richmond Park risking wildlife and parkland but was brought under control by London Fire Brigade.
BBQ’s and fireworks are strictly prohibited in Royal Parks and smokers should take care where cigarette butts are discarded.
Applications for the the much-sought-after Royal Paddocks allotments in Hampton Wick were so high in recent years that the waiting list was closed down. This is now being reviewed again and those in Hampton Wick and South Teddington areas can apply. If you wish to be notified when the waiting list is re-opened you can request to be added to the list again – details here.
I’m hoping someone will acknowledge that the shrinking (and proposed closure) of the Upper Lodge car park just won’t work, and is not in the best interests of park users.
The new Woodland Gardens car park essentially exists to serve the new cafe – it’s created its new, separate traffic flow. The cafe is excellent, and it’s a very successful family attraction. It draws more people to the park, which is a good thing; creates income for Royal Parks, which is also a good thing, but the car park and the cafe are linked to one another, and the spaces in the Woodland Gardens car park don’t substitute for the loss of spaces elsewhere.
I haven’t been to the NPL/Clapperstile car park, but I do know that it’s at a distant and little frequented corner of the park, and situated within what looks like private government property. Like the Woodland Gardens, this is not a suitable substitute for Upper Lodge.
The principle purpose of Bushy Park is to provide recreation space for the people of London. It has a subsidiary purpose as a “nature reserve”, and its users appreciate that the flora and fauna make Bushy Park a very special place. However, the park is not a natural wilderness, it’s an artificial space farmed by medieval man, enclosed and stocked with deer by Henry VIII, and progressively laid out for relaxation and recreation ever since.
Nobody wants an increase in the amount of parkland given over to parking – the old balance was just about right. Protests about cars encroaching on the landscape are nonsense – jumbo jets encroach much more!
Bushy Park is a special place. For many people, bringing their children, pushchairs, or dogs, or too old themselves into walk to the park from elsewhere, car parking space is a simple necessity.
Please can we manage the park for the users, not a few idealists.
Hi Philip, the Clapperstile is starting to be used by park-goers and visiting cricket and rugby teams but is generally not well known. A sign has gone up on Queens Road but without mentioning ‘Bushy Park’, new-comers will not know what the car park is intended for Bushy Park.
It’s not too far into the park if you are on a long walk but as you mention, clearly people want to drive to within the park itself for their walks etc.
This area is now open to the public who can use it as a short-cut into the park again after a hiatus of 60 years.
I believe funding is also an issue here – the Lottery-funded park improvements were awarded with stipulation that Upper Lodge car park would be removed. Royal Parks are caught in the middle of this debate now – they may be awaiting the last of this funding which might not now be given due to public pressure for parking.