Richmond's transport chief has made a passionate argument for the protected cycle lane on Kew Road after a petition was launched calling for its immediate cancellation.

Locals are said to be "furious" about the lane, saying the removal of parking outside Kew Gardens has led to visitors taking spaces outside their homes.

Residents of Kew Green, where coaches carrying visitors to the gardens are now being re-routed, have also expressed their worries about a rise in pollution.

The cycle lane consists of three sections roughly 500m each on both sides of the road. A system of raised posts (known as wands and armadillos) separates cyclists from vehicular traffic.

It was unveiled in late September as Richmond's first protected cycle space and will last for 18 months with the first six acting as a consultation phase.

Cllr Alexander Ehmann (Lib Dems) is deputy leader of Richmond Council and chair of the Transport and Air Quality Committee.

He told Richmond Nub News that Kew Road was previously a "coach parking lot" and said his administration took bold action in transforming it.

The lane has the support of the Green Party which has called for more segregated cycle lanes to be introduced across the borough.

Cllr Andree Frieze (Richmond Riverside, Petersham and Ham) said: "Traffic on our roads is increasing due to the need for social distancing around the coronavirus pandemic. Right now, it is vital to move towards safer, healthier streets or we risk replacing one health emergency with another.

"Steps to encourage active travel, whether walking or cycling, should be taken wherever possible.

"Air quality is a pressing public health issue and not only because of the link between poor air quality and greater risk of harm from Covid-19 itself. This bicycle lane on Kew Road is a step in the right direction. Let's keep it."

Kew Gardens' position

In a statement Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew said: "RBG Kew is following the changes being put in place by Richmond Council which are affecting parking along Kew road.

"We have been feeding in our views and how it impacts the gardens and our visitors and community throughout this process, with a view to supporting a best possible outcome for the consultation.

"We continue to hope that the resulting arrangements will be good for people and planet, allowing our world class botanic gardens to continue to be enjoyed by many who still do need to access by car and for the community in which we are based to be supportive of the efforts made to green transport across London."

Kew now encourages coaches to drop off their passengers at Elizabeth Gate.

A sign at this entrance to the gardens titled We urgently need your help reads: "As a charity, we are facing a serious financial crisis.

"If you love Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the work that we do, donate today to protect our vital conservation and scientific work."

In July we reported how Kew projected to lose £15 million in revenue this year.

It is understood that bosses are alarmed that the changes have led to further drops in visitor numbers and resulting revenue. Visitors who arrive by car are now advised to park in Ferry Lane or Old Deer Park car parks.

Related coverage:

Threat to Kew Gardens' future as £15million black hole opens

Petition gathers signatures

On November 18 the Kew Ward Conservatives launched a petition which has been signed by nearly 200 people.

Deputy chairman Samuel Ennis and chairman Roger Metcalfe wrote: "Kew has been blighted by traffic chaos, increased danger and increased pollution following the introduction of the controversial 'Experimental Traffic Scheme' on Kew Road.

"The scheme:

• has been introduced in an undemocratic way with no prior consultation
• is causing additional displacement parking putting further pressure on Kew Green and residential roads adjoining Kew Road
• will force 60 coaches per day onto Kew Green, with extra infrastructure, loss of car parking and using a new one-way system that residents roundly rejected 20 years ago.
• ruins the beauty of Kew Road
• threatens businesses and ruins the economic recovery of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew."

The petitioners call on the council to "immediately cancel" the lane.

In a submission to the transport committee meeting of September 3, Mr Metcalfe asked for the coach drop-off and pick-up point on Kew Road to be reinstated.

"Plans for a one-way system around Kew Green and a coach stop by Elizabeth Gate have drawn a universally furious reaction from Kew Green residents, who warn of pollution, congestion and road safety concerns," he said.

"It goes without saying that people in Kew and North Richmond support cycling and walking. We also support freedom, freedom of choice and the responsibility of those who govern us to consult if major changes are planned," Mr Metcalfe added.

Transport chair's view

Cllr Ehmann said: "I think the starting point is that it's not a question of getting the Liberal Democrat view on this. Neither the Conservatives nor the Green Party took an action nor made any suggestions for improvement to the Kew Road.

"It was the leadership of this Liberal Democrat council that recognised (all the more in light of Covid-19) that the road provided a suboptimal cycle lane. A lane that for most of the day, was unusable because of free parking (primarily of RBG Kew visitors and coaches) on the Kew Road.

"In essence, the road had become a council subsidised car park at the cost of a valuable and viable cycle lane. Since we took the bold action to protect the lane 24/7 and with physical measures, the carriageway width has widened for road users (parked cars are wider than the cycle lanes) and residents have benefited from the borough's first segregated cycle lane.

"It should also be noted that Kew Road is historically amongst the borough's worst roads for road traffic incidents.

"We introduced these measures in a considered (but speedy) manner. We have only just concluded consulting the whole of Kew about Controlled Parking Zone arrangements and will shortly be announcing the outcomes of those consultations. We have reallocated the coach drop-off and pick-up so that Kew Road does not continue to be the coach parking lot that it was. We have had constructive engagement with Transport for London about supporting better traffic flow from Kew Green onto Kew Road and have engaged extensively with residents, amenity groups and of course, Kew Gardens.

"The measures we introduced were in direct response to the government's request that local authorities change the nature of their road network to support cycling and discourage unnecessary car use (in light of covid). Kew Gardens has its own car park and with council support has also opened up its Herbarium car park to use at weekends.

"The existing measures can be kept in place under their experimental order status for up to 18 months, efore or after which they would require a permanent traffic order by this council to be retained.

"I have studied the facility's use and have seen many more cyclists making use of the Kew Road than before. The types of cyclists are also varied, with parents and young children astride bicycles and many more 'utility' cyclists.

"Kew Gardens is a beacon of sustainability, yet immediately outside its walls lay a redundant cycle lane, which was clogged with free visitor parking. This council is proud to have been the administration to put an end to that bizarre juxtaposition and to ensure that outside a world class organisation, sits the basis for a world class cycle facility.

"There is much more to be done if we are to make this so, but from a small seed a mighty trunk may grow."

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