Royal Parks call for cycling apps to cut route after woman’s death
‘Pedestrians have priority with the Royal Parks, as they make up the majority of park visitors’
ROYAL PARKS have called for a route in Regent’s Park to be removed from time trial apps after an 81-year-old woman was struck and killed by a speeding cyclist.
The Royal Parks, which runs eight of London’s famous outdoor spaces, has written to Strava and other GPS app companies demanding the Outer Circle be removed from their tracking devices.
Cyclist use the apps to record how quickly they can travel.
They have also contacted cycling sports clubs reminding them that cyclists using any of the parks are required “to observe the motor vehicle speed limits for the park”. It comes after
The Telegraph revealed how Brian Fitzgerald, a director at Credit Suisse, was involved in a fatal collision with Hilda Griffiths as he reached speeds of up 29mph in the 20mph zone in June 2022. He was completing timed laps using a Garmin device.
An inquest heard how the police concluded the banker could not be prosecuted because speed limits do not apply to pedal bikes, as they are not mechanically propelled.
Griffiths’ son Gerard, 52, claims more than 35 cycling clubs use Regent’s Park as a “velodrome”, with some cyclists exceeding the 20mph speed limit as they compete to record their fastest possible lap times.
Griffiths, a retired nursery nurse, died 59 days after the collision from severe head injuries.
The Telegraph has revealed how a dog walker was seriously injured by a cyclist at the same spot on May 1.
It is feared that the apps encourage reckless riding as cyclists record, share and compare speeds of specific routes.
A Royal Parks spokesman said it had now launched a review to see how they can keep pedestrians safe and encourage more considerate and less dangerous cycling in Regent’s Park.
One option charity bosses are considering is fitting raised speed bump-style crossings that would force cyclists to slow down near pedestrian islands. The spokesman said: “We are working closely with the police and other partners, notably the Crown Estate Paving Commission, to review if there are any additional measures we can put in place to encourage safe cycling in the park, as we have done in Richmond Park where we have introduced raised crossing points, improved signage and other road infrastructure.”
A document sent to cycling clubs states that “pedestrians have priority with the Royal Parks, as they make up the majority of park visitors”.
Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the former Conservative leader, has tabled amendments to the Criminal Justice Bill that could mean those riding bicycles, e-bikes, electric scooters and unicycles face tougher penalties if they injure or kill pedestrians.