A nice walk in Green (Car) Park

The policeman who approached me as I was taking photos told me that he had never seen as many cars at a Royal Garden Party as there were today, which is no doubt why they'd taken over Green Park itself.

Of course giving 8000 guests free car parking in central London slap bang by their destination, where no buses run, is one hell of an inducement for these worthy recipients of the Queen's largesse (National Trust and RSPB members no doubt) to drive rather than take public transport. I wonder what incentives are given to encourage these day trippers to use sustainable transport - free or discounted rail fares? A special shuttle bus from the London Terminii? Bugger all?

Anyway, what's the royal protocol on where you put all these cars? First of all you appropriate the cycle path.

When that's full you take over the park itself.

What you don't permit on any account is on-road parking on the multi-lane Mall.

Blimey, the police have kept that clear. They've clearly failed on Horseguards Road though where you can rely on the Aussies to take a stand in favour of climate change.

Nurturing Cycling or Couldn't Give a Stuff?

Royal Wedding preparations appear to be well under way and an early victim is the cycle path along the Mall past Buckingham Palace.

There's no warning until the closure and it would appear you're expected to lurch across a few lanes of traffic to mix it with the taxis. Unless you're meant to use the pavement?

I doubt the Royal Park, Royals or Westminster Council have given the closure that much thought. Just slapped up some barriers and CYCLE PATH CLOSED signs.

I'd hope, given the huge numbers of cyclists using that route daily plus the need to promote sustainable travel, that the authorities would be bending over backwards to nurture cycling through creating a temporary cycle path by taking one of the lanes from the motor traffic (as would happen in the Netherlands).

But I suspect that thought had never entered their minds and they're contentedly patting themselves on the back for putting up closure signs, unlike the previous royal event to close the cycle path.

Half hearted green measures

The polite person organising Prince Charles's green 'Start' event outside Clarence House asked me not to publish his response to my earlier post. I'll just quote one line:
We know it was inconvenient for cyclists but there really was not another solution.

No reason for not taking over one of the four Mall lanes as a temporary two-way segregated cycle lane; no mention of trying to get shared use on the pavement; no mention of trying to put up signage. So I raised these points and got a reply from another person saying:

Advance warning signs were issued over two weeks before the road and path were closed and were placed at regular intervals along appropriate roads and paths (including the cycle path that was closed).

As I'm a frequent but not a regular user of the path I can't comment on the preceeding fortnight. But I've asked for clarification of where a sign is in the photo I took above showing the cycle path entrance which led to the barricaded section - no reply yet.

The last reply I had ended with
Thank you for sending through your feedback and we will consider what we can do to better inform cyclists for any future events we may do.

Nothing about how to avoid the level of inconvenience. I think these organisers of a 'green' event really believe that people want to cycle on the road with stinking, speeding taxis - despite all the evidence to the contrary.

The Prince of Wales and his Greenwash Party

I've blogged previously about Charlie's mum's garden parties that require 2000 parking spaces to be created for the guests to pollute the air around Buck House. But at least the Queen's bashes don't take over the cycle path without so much as a closure sign and then put up banners on the barriers bragging about great green ideas.


The two-way off-road cycle paths along the mall, past Green Park and over Hyde Park are one of London's treasures. Fat Tire Tours have had a bumper season with tourists. They and Londoners alike are loving the ride without the need to mix it with motor-traffic.


But for a couple of weeks their pleasure is diminshed by coming across an enormous blockage forcing you to cross the four lane motorMall then cycle along it with the taxis.


Now, in a civilised country (which may or may not have a monarchy), the council would insist on a take-over of one of the four lanes to set up a diversionary two-way cycle lane.


In Holland a diversion for the cycle lane would of course be provided.

Not here, you don't even signpost that the cycle path has been built over let again suggest a detour.

But, hey, who cares? Probably all the Prince's guests arrive by NOx belching black cabs (top tourist tip: London cabs are really white but the diesel fumes soot them up really quickly.)

Bah, Humbug Prince Charles.

Royals use Cycling Superhighway?

At a set of red lights yesterday morning on CS7 going southbound I was obliged to move out of the blue lane into the mouth of the side ride to allow a convoy of four shiny black cars with flashing lights to zoom down the cycling superhighway, undertaking the motor traffic jammed in the offside lane.

Bet that's royalty or equivalent I said to myself.

Surprise, surprise, today I read Charlie and Camilla were visiting Brixton yesterday morning:

http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/News/210710RoyalVisitorsDelightBrixtonCrowds.htm

It was a black car they were using:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-10716349

If it was them, I hope they enjoyed their ride on the cycling superhighway. Maybe they can cycle it next time.

Royal Carden Party

According to www.royal.gov.uk, "With tea, cakes and a beautiful garden to stroll in, garden parties are among the most relaxed and informal Royal events.

Most people like to dress up for their special day. Gentlemen wear morning dress or lounge suits, while women wear afternoon dress, usually with hats or fascinators. National dress and uniform are also often worn."

Around 8000 people are invited to each of the Garden Parties held at Buckingham Palace during the summer. It would be splendid to see them on the tube, bus or bicycle in their finery.



Unfortunately the protocol is to provide 2000 temporary parking spaces on the Mall and Constitution Hill, encouraging the private car over more sustainable forms of tranport. I'm sure the royal garden is beautiful, but outside is an eyesore for the day.