Radio Two's Jeremy Vine busted for speeding in Hyde Park - on his bike

The question whether speed limits apply to non-motorised vehicles on park roads is unclear; it would take a brave man to opine either way with any certainty. And don't forget the old offence of wanton and furious cycling.

I cannot see any speed limit of 5mph in the bye-laws, but these only impose speed limits on park roads. Just to make it even less clear, I am not sure if this counts as a park road.

Perhaps the position is that cycling is allowed on the paths (cf. roads) at the Royal Parks' discretion, so they can impose whatever speed limit they want.. but then I don't know why the police are involved.

Is there a sign, or is "5mph" painted on the surface (like the big "10mph" on the shared path in Richmond Park)?

Whatever the law IS, it is ludicrous if there is a 5mph speed limit on a cycle path. It clearly reduces the status of cycling as a sensible mode of transport.

Spot on Bikebot. If that speed camera was pointed down the motorway that Park lane has become it would show why safe routes through the park are required. However, let's ignore the fact that this road is so dangerous you can only cross at lights and find a straw man to go after ?
Give. Me. Strength.

This was reported yesterday in the Evening Standard, regarding the East West cycle superhighway.

Quote:

Meanwhile, the Royal Parks warned Mr Johnson that pedestrians must remain the priority in the section that passes through Hyde Park and that it must keep to existing roads such as West Carriage Drive and South Carriage Drive. It said that existing cycle routes, such as Serpentine Road, the Broad Walk and Rotten Row were not suitable for “mass cycling”.

And the same objection via this site as follows.

Quote:

Colin Buttery, deputy chief executive of Royal Parks, said: “Whilst [we] acknowledge that the parks provide important transport connections for pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles, the parks are not transport corridors and should remain pedestrian priority areas.”

Why do I have a suspicion that someone within the management of the Royal Parks, has decided to make a point.

I'm just so glad that I don't live in the greatest capital city in the world.

I wonder how many of you complaining about the 'pointless speed limit' would be so generous to a motorist exceeding a 'pointless speed limit'?

Whether it's 'pointless' of not is not the point. He exceeded it and deserves to go down.

FFS. I walk at 3.-4 mph. Have you ever tried riding a bike at 5mph, its very difficult and you are far more likely to wobble around than travelling at a normal speed.

Utter fcuktards

Simple answer: Pick up your bike, shoulder it cyclocross style, and jog through the park.

Make sure you get it fairly side on to take up the maximum width you can to really block the paths and/or give the radar gun users a decent clip with a wheel as you pass....

This on the day when it was announced that obesity now costs the NHS the same as smoking. Shouldn't we be encouraging people to cycle in relatively safe environments?

I've ridden down this path many times, never as slowly than 5 mph! I don't remember seeing any signage to that effect - surely you can't be stopped and fined when there is no signage telling you to do so?

Having said that, it is a busy path, usually filled with tourists 3 abreast on Boris bikes, wobbling in and out of the cycle lane and meandering pedestrians crossing randomly. I take the road round the perimeter now more often, as it's fairly quiet during the evenings and weekends when I usually travel though Hyde Park

might as well say no cycling. or jogging for that matter. Definitely no running. Can't do any athletics in HP?

My twice weekly run is 5k. It's done in a comfortable 25mins. that's 12kph. or ~8mph. I'm 53.

What an fing ridiculous speed limit on a cycle path.

5mph is a limit for vehicles in car parks where stuff is moving all round and people are opening doors etc. Not a sensible travelling speed. 10mph would be fine on a mixed use path.

There's a far few Light Infantry regiments with 140 ppm which might get clocked marching at that rate. It's about 5and a fifth. If I remember rightly. The fifth being the the added speed to take a breaks and maintain 5mph. The Spanish legion better not be invited to London. They have 180ppm nearly 7mph. Standard marching speed for them.

I agree that this sort of thing is annoying but I think it unfair to attack the local police for this. I would put money on the decision to check and enforce speed limits in an area like this was requested by local residents/users and or the local borough council. I am sure the police and individual officers did not jump for joy and celebrate any success here.

I honestly believe that there are a good number of people who go about their business by bike in the city who wouldn't be able to balance on two wheels below 5mph. What a silly rule.

5mph is a comfortable jog. Are they trapping joggers who test their comfort levels?

Around here there are no speed limits! People drive at whatever speed they wish; but in London you cannot ride a bike at 16mph? What is going on?

Lots of people run at about 8mph and faster. Are the police going to get the speed guns on speeding pedestrians next?

Give me strength. When the police next complain about being under-funded and under-resourced they can forget about getting any sympathy from me.

But the question has to be, was he wearing a helmet whilst riding so recklessly ??

Here is road.cc's previous story that fining cyclists for speeding in Royal Parks is, at least, on shaky legal ground. There's a barrister out there willing to take on the fight if you do get fined.

There is no legal requirement to have a speedometer on a bike so how can a cyclist be expected to observe a speed limit for which there is no signage? On a clearly demarcated cycle path?

It does mention the 5mph limit here but still...
https://www.royalparks.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/41689/cycling_...

Why don’t the Police use their resources to go and move all the cars that park in the mandatory cycle lane outside the barracks on South Carriage Drive?

The Royal Parks in London are the only place where you can find speed limits for cyclists. Don't they have their own police too? Notice that he didn't get fined.

Right, now put your position to use, refuse to pay and insist on it going to a real court, not a rubber stamping Magistrate's court... I do believe there is a lawyer out there just waiting to take them on pro-bono as he believes that they are completely mistaken on their interpretation of the law and that it is not possible without actually changing the law itself to do cyclists for speeding. Furious riding yes, but speeding no...

Hold on a minute - I thought speed limits for cyclists were not legally enforceable?