Safety concerns and 20mph speed limit halt London Duathlon in Richmond Park
A popular London bike race has been called off over safety concerns, after a number of crashes in parks across the capital, including one when a woman died.
London Duathlon was supposed to be held in Richmond Park, west London, on September, 8, but it has now been axed.
Thousands of people were due to take part in the competition.
Organisers of the race said, "an increased focus on the security and logistics of cycling events in public spaces which creates significant operational challenges" has lead to it being cancelled.
This year The Royal Parks charity, which runs Richmond Park, announced a crackdown on safety in its outdoor spaces and reminded people of the area's 20mph speed limit for cars and cyclists.
It comes after a number of concerns were raised, including the death of 81-year-old Hilda Griffiths, who was hit by a cyclist doing timed laps in Regent’s Park, north London, in 2022, and died 59 days later.
Despite her death, the cyclist could not be prosecuted as currently speed limits only apply to vehicles - not cyclists.
The Royal Parks are now the one exception to the rule - cyclists who exceed the speed limit in Bushy Park, Greenwich Park, Richmond Park, Green Park, Hyde Park, St James’s Park, and Regent’s Park are liable to pay a fine.
The charity said further safety measures would be needed to "ensure the safety of participants and park visitors" for the London Duathlon to go ahead.
"It was not possible to put these in place and ensure the necessary scrutiny of plans for the 2024 event in the timeframe available," the charity said.
It is currently unclear whether the 2024 event will be rescheduled, or if the competition will be held next year.
“We will work closely with potential event organisers to determine the future of the event,” a spokesperson for the park said.
London Duathlon has apologised for the cancellation and said all participants registered for the event have been contacted by email.
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