The Royal Parks Regulations
Consultation
Amending the Royal Parks Regulations
January 2009
Contents
Section 1
Introduction
Section 2
Proposed changes
Section 3
Consultation questions
Annex A
Government’s Code of Practice on Written Consultation
Annex B
Draft Impact Assessment
Section 1: Introduction
1.1
The Royal Parks, which comprise over 5000 acres of historic parkland in and around
London, are: Bushy Park, The Green Park, Greenwich Park, Hyde Park, Kensington
Gardens, The Regent’s Park & Primrose Hill, Richmond Park, and St James’s Park.
The Royal Parks also manages a number of other open spaces in London, including
Victoria Tower Gardens, Grosvenor Square Gardens and Brompton Cemetery.
1.2
This consultation paper concerns proposed changes to the Royal Parks Regulations.
The last major change to the regulations was in 1997, although there have been some
minor changes since then.
1.3
The Royal Parks are owned by the Sovereign in right of the Crown, but the Secretary
of State for Culture, Media and Sport has management powers for them under the
Crown Lands Act 1851. The Royal Parks is an Executive Agency of the Department
for Culture, Media and Sport and manages the parks on behalf of the Secretary of
State.
1.4
The Secretary of State has powers under the Parks Regulations (Amendment) Act
1926 to make regulations to secure the proper management of the Royal Parks. The
current principal regulations are The Royal Parks and Other Open Spaces
Regulations 1997 (SI 1997 No.1639), as amended.
1.5
Managing the parks is about balancing the needs of different users, preserving the
environment and protecting wildlife. The Park Regulations effectively set out a code
of behaviour for the park environment, which helps to ensure that they can be
enjoyed by everyone.
1.6
Further information about The Royal Parks is available on our website at:
www.royalparks.org.uk
The six corporate objectives of The Royal Parks are, to:
Protect and develop the parks
as world class environments,
applying effective policies in
environmental and ecological
park management.
Understand and respond to the
needs of our diverse audiences
and stakeholders, working with
partner organisations to enrich
lives.
Deliver a broad cultural array
of activities, including
education, sport and
participatory offers.
Conserve and enhance the
historic built environment of the
Royal Parks.
Deliver greater value for money
for the taxpayer through
increased income generation
and ensuring that best value for
money is obtained.
Demonstrate internal
organisational excellence in
our workforce and corporate
governance, and continually
improve our finance, IT and
communications systems.
Section 2: Proposed Changes to the Royal Parks Regulations
2.1
The Royal Parks is considering a number of changes to the regulations. Our
proposals are set out below.
Introduction of Parking Charges in Bushy and Richmond Parks
2.2
Introducing parking charges in Richmond and Bushy Parks is consistent with our
policy across the rest of the Royal Parks estate and supports our environmental
agenda of encouraging visitors to travel to the parks by means other than private car
wherever possible. It also discourages displacement of parking into the parks as a
result of the imposition of parking fees by authorities outside.
2.3
The scheme we propose to put in place will introduce charges at rates that are
broadly in line with those levied by the authorities in the surrounding areas. While
not being punitive to those who have no option but to visit by car, we hope the
charges will encourage visitors who can to travel to the park by public transport, by
bicycle, or on foot. The scheme includes a maximum stay, intended both to ensure a
reasonable turnover of spaces (which would be fairer to visitors than our current
system) and preclude abuse by commuters and shoppers of a facility that is provided
exclusively for park visitors.
2.4
The proposed scheme would raise essential revenue towards the maintenance of The
Royal Parks’ roads and associated infrastructure.
Details of the scheme
2.5
We propose that parking charges should be introduced in all the public car parks in
Bushy and Richmond Parks, and would welcome your views on the proposed
charges and conditions as set out below.
Richmond Park
Up to 1 hour -
£1.00
1 to 1½ hours -
£1.50
1½ to 2 hours -
£2.00
2 to 3 hours -
£2.50
Over 3 hours -
£3.00
Bushy Park
Up to 1 hour -
£0.50
1 to 1½ hours -
£0.75
1½ to 2 hours -
£1.00
2 to 3 hours -
£1.50
Over 3 hours -
£2.00
These charges would apply whenever the car parks are open.
There would be a maximum stay of six hours in any one car park.
A set proportion of the available parking spaces would be designated for Blue Badge
holders.
Blue Badge holders and motor bikes would be exempt from the charges, but subject
to the maximum stay limit.
Q1: Do you support the introduction of parking charges in Richmond and/or
Bushy Park?
Q2: If you accept the introduction of parking charges in principle, do you consider
that the rates we propose are about right, too high or too low?
Q3: Do you agree that there should be a maximum stay for parking in Richmond
and /or Bushy Park?
Q4: If you agree that there should be a maximum stay, do you think that 6 hours is
about right, too long or too short?
Q5: Do you have any further comments about our proposal to introduce parking
charges?
Allowing Private Hire Vehicles (PHVs) into the Parks
2.6
The Royal Parks Regulations currently prohibit any vehicle that is “constructed,
adapted or in use as a trade vehicle” from entering the Royal Parks unless they have
express permission to do so, or legitimate business in the Parks. The only exception
is for Hackney carriages (“black cabs”) licensed by the Public Carriage Office (PCO),
and this is on the grounds that they provide a service for visitors. However, as
Private Hire Vehicles (PHVs) in London are now also licensed by the PCO, we
propose to amend the regulations and allow them into the Parks on the same terms
as are already allowed for black cabs.
2.7
This change is intended to benefit potential visitors - including the disabled who
receive subsidised travel in PHVs - without making a significant difference to the
volume of traffic in the Parks. Prior to the introduction of the licensing regime,
PHVs had been largely indistinguishable from private vehicles, which made it
difficult for us to enforce, in a proportionate way, the prohibition on PHVs using the
Parks in the course of their trade. PHVs are now required to clearly indicate their
PHV status.
2.8
We do not intend to relax our general prohibition on commercial vehicles entering
the Parks unless they have explicit permission to do so, or legitimate business in the
Parks. We would draw the new regulations as tightly as possible and only permit
PHVs which, like black cabs, have been licensed in London by the Public Carriage
Office. We do not intend, at this stage, to widen access to PHVs licensed by
authorities outside London.
Information on the licensing regime for PHVs in London can be found at:
www.tfl.gov.uk/pco .
Q6: Do you support our proposal to allow Private Hire Vehicles that are licensed
by the Public Carriage Office to enter the Royal Parks on the same terms as are
already allowed in law for black cabs? If not, please give your reasons.
Introduce an express provision that taxis and PHVs displaying external advertisements
may still enter the Royal Parks
2.9
The Secretary of State issued a direction in 1982 which set out that black cabs bearing
external advertisements may enter the Royal Parks, despite there being a prohibition
in the regulations against displaying advertising material without express
permission. (The direction was issued under the Secretary of State’s power to grant
such permission). This is now a long-standing practice and one which we consider
would be appropriate to put on a statutory footing. We also propose to make the
same provision in respect of Private Hire Vehicles (PHVs) if we implement the
proposal set out at paragraph 2.6 above. The kind of advertising that can be carried
on these vehicles is restricted by the Public Carriage Office.
Q7: Do you agree with our proposal to give express statutory force to the already
accepted practice that black cabs are allowed to enter the Royal Parks even if they
are bearing advertisements?
Q8: Do you agree that we should make identical provision in respect of PHVs
(provided that we implement our proposal to allow them to enter the Royal
Parks)?
Lowering the speed limit on the roads in Greenwich Park from 30 mph to 20mph
2.10
We are considering implementing an amendment to the Regulations to reduce the
speed limit in Greenwich Park from its existing 30mph to 20mph. This would bring
the speed limit in Greenwich Park into line with that on the roads immediately
outside it. We consider it wrong that, at present, drivers may drive faster within the
Park than on many of the surrounding roads. We consider that a lower speed limit
will contribute towards de-urbanising the Park, safety and the protection of wildlife,
improving the park atmosphere and making it a more enjoyable experience for
visitors.
Q9: Do you agree with our proposal to reduce the speed limit in Greenwich Park
from 30mph to 20mph?
Q10: If you do not agree with our proposal to reduce the speed limit in Greenwich
Park to 20mph, please explain why.
Lowering the speed limit on the roads in Bushy Park from 30 mph to 20mph
2.11
We are considering implementing an amendment to the Regulations to reduce the
speed limit in Bushy Park from its existing 30mph to 20mph. This would bring the
speed limit in line with nearby Richmond Park, where we successfully introduced a
reduced speed limit in 2004. Bushy Park has similar landscape features, wildlife and
park management challenges to Richmond. We consider that this measure will
contribute towards de-urbanising the Park, safety and the protection of wildlife,
improving the Park atmosphere and making it a more enjoyable experience for
visitors.
Q11: Do you agree with our proposal to reduce the speed limit in Bushy Park to
20mph?
Q12: If you do not agree with our proposal to reduce the speed limit in Bushy
Park to 20mph, please explain why.
Animal Faeces
2.12
The regulations can be interpreted as requiring that horse riders and drivers of
horse-drawn vehicles, like dog owners, clear up after their animals. This is not the
intention of the regulations, so we propose to clarify that this requirement does not
apply to horse owners.
Q13: Do you agree that the regulations should make clear that horse owners are
not required to clean up after their animals?
Update where, in Bushy Park, a person is allowed to sail a model boat
2.13
The statement in the current regulations which describes where a person may sail a
model boat in Bushy Park is out of date. We intend, therefore, to amend the
regulations to clarify that the only place in Bushy Park where you may sail a model
boat is on the Model Boating Pond.
Increase existing parking charges
2.14
We have levied parking charges in Hyde Park and The Regent’s Park since 1994, and
in Greenwich Park since 2000. Changes to the charging rates may only be made by
regulation. The current rates have been in place since 2004 and have not kept pace
with the Retail Price Index.
2.15
We intend, therefore, to introduce increases that will bring our existing parking
charges in line with inflation, and maintain comparison with the rates levied by
authorities in the surrounding areas. We also intend to increase our penalties for
non-payment so that they mirror those of the local authorities.
General comments
Q14: Do you have any other comments which relate directly to any of our proposals?
Please send your comments to:
[email address]
Or write to:
Consultation - Regulations Review
The Royal Parks
The Old Police House
Hyde Park
London W2 2UH
Closing date for comments is 1 May 2009.
A summary of responses will be published shortly after the closing date for consultation.
All information in responses, including personal information, may be subject to publication
or disclosure under Freedom of Information legislation. If a correspondent requests
confidentiality, this cannot be guaranteed and will only be possible if considered
appropriate under the legislation. Any such request should explain why confidentiality is
necessary. Any automatic confidentiality disclaimer generated by your IT system will not be
considered as such a request unless you specifically include a request, with an explanation,
in the main text of your response. If you need a copy of this document in another format,
such as large print, please telephone 020 7298 2008 or 020 7298 2018.
If you have any questions or complaints about the process of consultation on this paper,
please contact: Julia Frayne, The Royal Parks, The Old Police House, Hyde Park, London,
W2 2UH ([email address]).
Section 3: Consultation Questions
Q1: Do you support the introduction of parking charges in Richmond and/or Bushy
Park?
Q2: If you accept the introduction of parking charges in principle, do you consider that
the rates we propose are about right, too high or too low?
Q3: Do you agree that there should be a maximum stay for parking in Richmond and /or
Bushy Park?
Q4: If you agree that there should be a maximum stay, do you think that 6 hours is about
right, too long or too short?
Q5: Do you have any further comments about our proposal to introduce parking charges?
Q6: Do you support our proposal to allow Private Hire Vehicles that are licensed by the
Public Carriage Office to enter the Royal Parks on the same terms as are already allowed
in law for black cabs? If not, please give your reasons.
Q7: Do you agree with our proposal to give express statutory force to the already accepted
practice that black cabs are allowed to enter the Royal Parks even if they are bearing
advertisements?
Q8: Do you agree that we should make identical provision in respect of PHVs (provided
that we implement our proposal to allow them to enter the Royal Parks)?
Q9: Do you agree with our proposal to reduce the speed limit in Greenwich Park from
30mph to 20mph?
Q10: If you do not agree with our proposal to reduce the speed limit in Greenwich Park
to 20mph, please explain why.
Q11: Do you agree with our proposal to reduce the speed limit in Bushy Park to 20mph?
Q12: If you do not agree with our proposal to reduce the speed limit in Bushy Park to
20mph, please explain why.
Q13: Do you agree that the regulations should make clear that horse owners are not
required to clean up after their animals?
Q14: Do you have any other comments which relate directly to any of our proposals?
ANNEX A
THE SEVEN CONSULTATION CRITERIA
Criterion 1: When to consult
Formal consultation should take place at a stage when there is scope to influence the policy outcome.
Criterion 2: Duration of consultation exercises
Consultations should normally last for at least 12 weeks with consideration given to longer timescales
where feasible and sensible.
Criterion 3: Clarity of scope and impact
Consultation documents should be clear about the consultation process, what is being proposed, the
scope to influence and the expected costs and benefits of the proposals.
Criterion 3:
Accessibility of consultation exercises
Consultation exercises should be designed to be accessible to, and clearly targeted at, those people the
exercise is intended to reach.
Criterion 4:
The burden of consultation
Keeping the burden of consultation to a minimum is essential if consultations are to be effective and if
consultees’ buy-in to the process is to be obtained.
Criterion 5:
Responsiveness of consultation exercises
Consultation responses should be analysed carefully and clear feedback should be provided to
participants following the consultation.
Criterion 6:
Capacity to consult
Officials running consultations should seek guidance in how to run an effective consultation exercise
and share what they have learned from the experience.
A copy of the Government’s Code of Practice on Consultation is available at:
http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file47158.pdf
