PERMANENT CLOSURE: Public consultation opens on Hyde Park's South Carriage Drive

The Royal Parks charity has initiated a public consultation on the future of South Carriage Drive in Hyde Park, proposing a permanent closure to motor traffic on weekdays, extending the current weekend-only restrictions.

This six-week consultation period, running from 5 February to 17 March, aims to gather the opinions and concerns of local residents, park-goers, and affected parties.

The Royal Parks has set up an online survey accessible through its official website. Additionally, face-to-face surveys will be conducted at strategic locations within Hyde Park. The initiative is being promoted across social media channels, through local community groups, and via park signage to ensure comprehensive community engagement.

The move comes after the closing of South Carriage Drive to traffic on Sundays, a practice that was extended to include Saturdays in 2020 following a previous consultation. This decision was part of The Royal Parks' strategy to reduce cut-through traffic, thereby enhancing the overall park experience and creating new spaces for public enjoyment.

Compounding the need for change, the introduction of a new cycle lane on Park Lane by Transport for London (TfL), intersecting with South Carriage Drive, raised safety concerns over potential conflicts between cars and cyclists. As a result, a temporary closure of South Carriage Drive to all traffic was enacted, a measure that has been in place for over three years.

The ongoing consultation seeks to address these concerns by potentially establishing a permanent weekday closure of South Carriage Drive to motor traffic. This proposal is aimed at ensuring a safe and welcoming environment for pedestrians and cyclists.

Darren Share, Director of Parks at The Royal Parks, said: “As custodians of Hyde Park, we have a duty of care to provide a safe space for all visitors.

“Following consultation on Saturday closures, we received significant feedback from consultees to request a permanent closure across all days of the week.  Considering this, and the significant increase in cycle traffic now using the park, we felt it was only right to ask the community for their views.”