Main picture: A magical frosty start to a January morning in Richmond Park; Adam’s Pond frozen and reflecting the colours of a spectacular sunrise. January 2025

Photograph: Amanda Boardman

Threat to the Parks Police – update

Our concerns

We remain deeply concerned by proposals to disband the Parks police unit and for its officers to be redistributed to other parts of London. Policing in Richmond Park would become the responsibility of the local community police team.

Traditionally there was a Royal Parks Constabulary covering The Royal Parks. In 2004 this was absorbed into the Metropolitan Police Force with the formation of The Royal Parks Operational Command Unit. Whilst Met police, this unit is not and never has been, part of a local borough policing unit. It is a separate unit with an HQ in Hyde Park Police Station. The number of officers has been much reduced over time with seven now assigned to Richmond and Bushy Parks combined.

The growing campaign

The campaign against these proposals has been growing:

Sarah Olney MP submitted an Early Day Motion to parliament highlighting the important work of the Parks police and urging the Home Office to provide sufficient funding to take the proposed cuts off the table.

Richmond Council has passed a motion recognising the specialist knowledge, experience and expertise of the Parks police and calling on the Metropolitan Police Commissioner and the Mayor of London to provide sufficient funding to ensure the survival of the Parks police

The Chairs of all the Royal Parks Friends groups, including our Chair Roger Hillyer, have combined in an appeal to Sir Mark Rowley, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police to ask him to think again.

Heathrow 3rd runway

The recent announcement of the government’s support for a third runway at Heathrow, to create economic growth means that some people have been wondering how this relates to Heathrow’s airspace modernisation plan that includes new flight paths over Richmond Park.

Heathrow made a previous proposal for a 3rd runway in 2019-20, which included new flight paths over Richmond Park similar to those now proposed under airspace modernisation. The Friends team had many meetings with Heathrow and its consultants, arguing about the environmental impact of the new flight paths, with another meeting scheduled when Covid struck and Heathrow put the 3rd runway plans on hold.

The government has now said it wants Heathrow to submit proposals on a 3rd runway by the Summer which will then be reviewed against the Airports National Policy Statement.

The government’s support for a 3rd runway makes our current campaign against the airspace modernisation proposals for new flight paths over Richmond Park more important than ever. We will continue to fight threats to the peace and tranquillity of Richmond Park, be it airspace change, the consequences of a 3rd runway, or the knock-on effects of Heathrow’s easterly alternation plans.