A Twickenham resident has launched a petition urging Richmond Council and the Rugby Football Union (RFU) to halt plans to increase the number of events at Allianz Stadium.

Daniel Lever, who created the petition via Change.org on 24 April, says while locals are not opposed to events in principle, the current transport infrastructure is "not adequately designed to handle the volume of footfall and traffic brought by large-scale events".

His petition, which has already received 737 signatures at the time writing, raises concerns over gridlocked roads, overwhelmed public transport, and prolonged crowd dispersal after stadium events.

He wrote: "The transport system in Twickenham is already under significant strain. Roads are routinely gridlocked, especially during school runs, rush hour and local evening activities.

"Public transport is often overwhelmed, and crowd dispersal after stadium events frequently takes hours, causing extensive delays and disruption well into the evening.

"Without long-term, properly funded investment in new local transport infrastructure – not just temporary measures such as extra buses – midweek events are simply not viable."

Mr Lever also claims that proposed concerts at the Twickenham Stadium would contribute to more anti-social behaviour, including littering, drug use, public urination and noise disruption.

He criticised the RFU and Allianz Stadium's recent consultation as "fundamentally biased", alleging that it was designed to support a pre-determined outcome and did not reflect genuine community views.

"The survey was designed and interpreted in a way that supported their desired outcome, rather than reflecting the real views of residents. Many locals felt misrepresented or ignored entirely. This should have been carried out properly by an independent third party."

He also raised concerns about recent comments by RFU Chief Executive Bill Sweeney, who said the organisation may consider relocating England matches to venues outside Twickenham due to local restrictions.

Mr Lever said such statements should not influence Richmond Council's decision-making, warning that commercial pressure must not override public interest.

The petition outlines a detailed list of resident demands for any future event plans, including:

• No midweek events without significant new transport infrastructure.
• No events during major roadworks.
• A robust crowd dispersal and clean-up plan with guaranteed timelines.
• Protection for resident access during road closures, with compensation where needed.
• Resident compensation schemes, including free tickets or council tax rebates.
• Honest and transparent consultation and communication.
• Enforced resident-only parking zones during events.
• Strict noise limits and curfews to prevent late-night disruption.
• Minimised road closure times with clear justification.
• Long-term investment in public transport, not just temporary fixes.
• Guaranteed access for emergency services at all times.
• Event number and timing caps, agreed through consultation.
• An annual event calendar published in advance.
• No event increases without further public approval.
• Time-limited licences with revocation clauses for breaches.
• Regular reviews and transparent reporting of resident concerns.

The Twickenham resident believes the local transport system is 'under significant strain' (credit: Cesar Medina)

In response to the petition, an RFU spokesperson said enhancing the stadium's value to the local community is a core aim of its current planning application, which includes a proposal to host more non-sporting events such as concerts.

The spokesperson said: "Though we are comfortable that our community consultation process was comprehensive, with over 300 people attending in-person sessions and over 4,000 filling in the survey, we will continue to work hard to ensure that residents understand what we are doing to tackle any concerns they have."

The RFU highlighted that many of the concerns raised in the petition are either already part of the application, currently being planned, or actively under consideration, including:

• Hosting most non-sporting events only between June and September and largely at weekends.
• Improved shuttle buses, wayfinding, and traffic management to ease midweek transport pressures.
• A formal Event Day Operational Strategy to avoid clashes with major roadworks.
• A comprehensive dispersal and clean-up plan within 2.5 hours post-event.
• Continuing to facilitate resident and emergency access during road closures.
• Quadrupling the local ticket allocation for rugby matches and exploring a similar approach for concerts.
• Proposing a Community Enhancement Fund funded by concert ticket levies.
• Reinforcing resident-only parking zones and noise curfews (e.g. 10:30pm).
• Annual Operational Review Reports with council oversight and transparency.

The RFU also reiterated that any further increase beyond the proposed 15 non-sporting events would require new permissions and additional public consultation, and that enforcement mechanisms are embedded in both licensing and planning frameworks.

The organisation says it welcomes continued dialogue with residents and stakeholders and has committed to regular updates via its newsletter, website, and a formal Community Engagement Plan.

Mr Lever concluded: "We believe Twickenham deserves better. Our community is being asked to carry the burden of a national stadium without the infrastructure, planning, or protections that such a role demands.

"We ask Richmond Council and other decision-makers to stand with local residents and not allow commercial pressure to override public interest."

To find out more and read the full petition click here.

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