A great result!
Bushy Park will remain free.
There will be no parking charges.
On Friday 5th July it was announced by the Tourist and Heritage Minister, John Penrose, that the Bushy Park car parking charges proposal by The Royal Parks is to be scrapped. This is the news that The Friends of Bushy and Home Parks and the Keep Bushy Park Free Alliance have been waiting for.
We started our campaign against the plan over a year ago as soon as The Royal Parks issued their consultation document. In March last year we held a march in Bushy Park led by Vince Cable. In April we collected 6,500 signatures in a petition against the proposals.
It was handed in by Vincent Cable at the Royal Parks Headquarters in Hyde Park. There have been meetings with Royal Parks executives and the previous minister to make them aware of our objections.
In January there was a rally in Richmond Park with all the local MPs and many councillors along with an estimated 1,500 concerned park users.
In March this year a proposal in the House of Lords failed to quash the plans.
There were promises by both parties now in the coalition government that they would cancel the plans. They have now done so and all those involved in the campaign should congratulate themselves on a very good victory.
At times it did feel as though we were fighting a losing battle, but all those who worked so hard, whether organising rallies and meetings or gathering signatures for the petition should feel delighted that all the hard work has been worthwhile, and that sense has prevailed.
The Friends of Bushy and Home Parks and the Keep Bushy Park Free Alliance thank everyone who gave us so much support and encouragement.
Pieter Morpurgo
Chairman
The Friends of Bushy & Home Parks
