Celebrating 150 years since the Heath was Saved.

On 27th June, marking 150 years of the Hampstead Heath Act 1871, members of the Kite Society of Great Britain gave a spectacular display of kite flying, with tricks and intricate routines accompanied by music, in the beautiful surroundings of the Heath.

Commuter Cycling threatens Heath

Prior to the pandemic, the position with Heath cycle routes was that the City would not review any new proposals for more cycle paths until 2022.

In light of the pandemic, Camden Council are now looking at measures to encourage cycling (etc) in the borough.

There are at least six proposals for increased cycling on the Heath.

The position of the Society is that no more cycling should be allowed on the Heath. A vision of how more cycling would adversely affect the Heath and its pedestrians has been given to us during lockdown when the City was unable to enforce the Heath bylaws and cycling was uncontrolled. We received many valid complaints about the damage to the Heath and the danger to pedestrians.

The Heath now gets 11 million pedestrian visits a year and there is simply not the space on the existing pathways for more cycling. We’d like to thank members for writing to oppose more cycling on the Heath.

The Heath is not, and should not be made, part of London’s transport infrastructure. We firmly believe that any increased cycling arrangements now introduced under the pretext of the pandemic will become permanent.

Current proposals for more Heath cycling (there may be others):