Access
Richmond Park is enclosed by a high wall with several gates. The gates either allow pedestrian and bicycle access only, or allow both motor vehicle and pedestrian access. The gates for motor vehicle access are open only during daylight hours, and the speed limit is 20 mph. No commercial vehicles apart from taxis are allowed.
The gates open to motor traffic are: Sheen Gate, Richmond Gate, Ham Gate, Kingston Gate, and Roehampton Gate.
There is pedestrian and bicycle access to the park 24 hours a day except when there is a deer cull. During the deer cull the majority of the gates are locked and warning signs are displayed forbidding access to the park under the orders of The Secretary of State. Warning signs are normally displayed a month before the deer cull occurs.
The park has designated bridleways and cycle paths. These are shown on maps and noticeboards displayed near the main entrances, along with other regulations that govern use of the park. The bridleways are special in that they are for horses (and their riders) only and not open to other users like normal bridleways. Laws forbid cycling along the park's mud paths and limit cycling to: the hard yellow cycle path that runs around the park (the Tamsin Trail); main roads; and other hard (i.e. concrete or cement) surfaces.
As the park is a National Nature Reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest, all dog owners are required to keep their dogs under control while in the park. This includes not allowing their dog to disturb other park users or disrupt wildlife. In 2009, after some incidents leading to the death of wildfowl, the park's dogs on leads policy was extended. Park users are said to believe that the deer are feeling increasingly threatened by the growing number of dogs using the park.
Read more about this topic: Richmond Park
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