Sign up to FREE email alerts from MyLondon - MyWestLondon News Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Invalid Email

A cyclist has hit out after being issued with a £60 on the spot fine while cycling through Kensington Palace Gardens.

Nicole Ruduss was shocked when police stopped and issued her with a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) on Wednesday (January 13) morning as she made her way to work on a route she has cycled on for 10 years.

She learned the path had been closed to cyclists for improvement works as part of the Transport for London’s Central London Cycle Grid Scheme work, but said Royal Parks, who look after the site, could have done more alert users to this.

She also said Metropolitan Police officers should have been waiting at a sign to advise cyclists to dismount, rather than fining them moments after passing it.

The 37-year-old said: “I am in shock. I will pay the fine but it seems like a bit of a money generator to me.”

The IT worker was making her way to Hyde Park from her home in Chiswick on her regular cycle route when she spotted a diversion sign near the pond in the royal gardens at around 8am. She followed the diversion, but then wrongly assumed it ended and was safe to return to her normal route.

“I then cycled past a Royal Parks sign saying no cycling, which I thought was strange,” she said. “And I had barely registered what it said when a few seconds later two police officers stopped me and asked if I could see the sign.

“So I got a £60 fine on the spot. I felt almost entrapped.”

Others caught out

She says she was not the only victim, with between five to 10 other cyclists stopped and fined in the five minutes she was being dealt with by police.

She said: “People were just confused. It feels like cyclists are once again the victims again. It’s heavy-handed policing. They could have stood at the sign and asked cyclists to dismount.”

And criticising the Royal Parks she said: “Their staff should have warned people a few days ahead, and there could be better signage.

“They want people to enjoy the park, and we want to enjoy the park and cycle through it, but then this happens. They could’ve handled this better.”

Work began on January 4. During the first week Inspector Rob O’Connor from the Met’s Royal Parks unit said officers on duty in the park took an ‘inform and educate’ approach with cyclists that contravened the signs. From January 11 they moved to an enforcement approach.

He said there were ‘no cycling’ signs in place and added: “Cyclists who don’t wish to dismount in the park are encouraged to use the diversions sign posted, as to contravene the ‘no cycling’ sign could lead to a FPN being issued for Unauthorised Cycling in a Royal Park and subject to a £60 fine.”

Revenue from FPNs go direct to the Treasury. Insp O’Connor added: “Anyone who disagrees with an FPN that have been issued has recourse to appeal it following the instruction on the ticket.”

Information on the path closures are available online.