ES News email The latest headlines in your inbox twice a day Monday - Friday plus breaking news updates Enter your email address Continue Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Fill out this field Email address is invalid You already have an account. Please log in Register with your social account or click here to log in I would like to receive lunchtime headlines Monday - Friday plus breaking news alerts, by email Update newsletter preferences

Residents of Kensington Palace Gardens feared being swamped by “the masses” if their street joined a cycling network, newly released letters reveal.

Transport for London’s plans for a “Quietway” through one of the capital’s most expensive roads were shelved last month after residents complained that it would ruin their “tranquillity” and pose security risks.

But it has emerged that people living there also feared paying extra charges for the scheme — and some called for cyclists to be banned outright.

Kensington Palace Gardens is a Crown Estate-owned private road, but the public are free to cut through 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, unless they are in a vehicle.

Residents include Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich, and it is home to the Russian, Israeli and Norwegian embassies, among others.

TfL wanted a signed Quietway — for cyclists to avoid busy main roads — as part of a back-street network from Earl’s Court to Wormwood Scrubs.

Residents’ letters to Kensington & Chelsea council about the Quietway were released to the Standard under the Freedom of Information Act, with names and addresses redacted.

One wrote: “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.”

Another said: “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.

“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.”

A neighbour added they were “in no way prepared to pay any increase to cover the associated running costs” of the Quietway.

TfL said residents would pay nothing towards running costs, which would mainly be for the replacement of worn-out road stickers.

One letter writer said they were “definitely against this proposal and actually want to go further and prevent all cyclists from using it in the future.” Another wrote that there were “far too many cyclists on the roadway as it is” and called for “a blanket ban”.

Amy Summers, campaigns co-ordinator for London Cycling Campaign, said it was “saddening” to see people objecting to a cycle Quietway “on the dubious grounds of higher security risks, safety concerns and the ‘inconvenience’ of more cyclists using the road”.