Britain’s “most expensive street” bans cyclists and pedestrians – after complaints about “dangerous” cyclists causing “near misses” and putting residents and diplomats “at risk”

Concerns about “speeding” cyclists using an exclusive London street as a cut-through, allegedly leading to several complaints of “near misses” with residents and diplomats, have led to the road being temporarily closed to both people on bikes and pedestrians while a safety review is held.

Kensington Palace Gardens, a half-mile-long tree-lined avenue dubbed Britian’s most expensive street and ‘Billionaires Row’ thanks to its £35 million average house price, connects Notting Hill Gate and Kensington High Street in the west of the capital, and is home to several foreign embassies, such as Russia and Israel, France’s ambassadorial residence, and notable private residents such as former Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich and Princess Haya of Jordan.

The street has long been closed to motorists, with pedestrians and cyclists until this week able to enter at any time through gates guarded by sentry boxes at either end of the avenue.

> Kensington Palace Gardens residents objected to Quietway because "the masses" would compromise their security

However, the Evening Standard has reported that people walking or cycling along Kensington Palace Gardens have been temporarily banned, after complaints were raised about cyclists using the street as a cut-through endangering pedestrians.

On Wednesday the Crown Estate, which owns and manages the avenue, closed the road to pedestrians and cyclists “due to safety concerns”, with members of the public now unable to use it until a review is completed.

“We have taken the decision to temporarily close Kensington Palace Gardens to pedestrians and cyclists due to safety concerns,” a Crown Estate spokesperson said this week.

“This decision has been made to prioritise safety and wellbeing, whilst we review a long-term solution.”

Sources have told the Evening Standard that there have been numerous complaints about the behaviour of cyclists on the street, which have allegedly put residents, diplomats, and visitors “at risk” and led to several near misses. The sources say that officials are currently exploring ways to make the road safer.

> Mayor fined €100 for riding on street where cycling is banned by the council, while shooting ‘cycle to work’ video to encourage cycling in Barcelona

The Standard has also reported that the ban on pedestrians as well as cyclists comes after fears were raised that security guards would be forced to deal with “disgruntled” cyclists who would instead wish to walk their bike down the street, or lead to those riding hire bikes to leave them outside the gate on the public path.

When asked why pedestrians were also subject to the temporary closure, the Crown Estate insisted that the road would be closed until the safety review is completed and a final decision is made on public access.

Rather notably, this isn’t the first time that residents of Britain’s most exclusive, well-heeled street have raised objections about cyclists encroaching on their turf.

> Locals block Quietway on exclusive London private road

Back in 2016, plans to make Kensington Palace Gardens one of London’s cycling Quietways – signposted routes on quiet back streets designed to offer a calmer and safer network for people on bikes – were scrapped after residents complained that the use of the road by “the masses” would compromise security and “cede its exclusivity”.

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea council and Transport for London (TfL) received 15 responses to the consultation on the proposed Quietway, including “several” respondents who claimed that it would “pose security risks, unspecified”.

One resident told the consultation: “The residents on this private road should not be responsible for the use of the masses. Open use of this private roadway by the masses will cede its exclusivity and surrender its security.”

“Those who already use the cut-through... are oblivious to the dismount notices and feel the right to pedal through, causing pedestrians to move and young mums with buggies to move out of the way,” another added.

“This is annoying to all, residents and visitors alike, we pay for the upkeep of this private road… in our high council tax and expect to keep the standards of privacy this brings us.”

In a premonition of what was to come eight years later, one letter writer argued that cyclists should be prevented from using the road entirely, while another wrote that there were “far too many cyclists on the roadway as it is” while calling for “a blanket ban”.