One of South London's most cherished green spaces, the 200-acre Tooting Common, has become a battleground between pedestrians and speeding cyclists, with locals saying they now fear for their safety. The park, bordered by Tooting, Streatham, and Clapham, is a popular cut-through, but the rise of electric bikes and scooters has dramatically increased speeds and tensions.
A Park Transformed Into a 'Motorway'
Walkers, dog owners, and parents with pushchairs report that the once-peaceful paths now resemble a high-speed route. The main issue is the surge in delivery drivers on powerful, silent e-bikes, who are seen regularly ignoring a theoretical 12mph speed limit and cycling on paths where they are banned. Residents describe bikes travelling at up to 30mph, offering little to no audible warning as they approach.
"You can honestly think you're going to be killed when cyclists come past you at high speed with no warning," one daily dog walker told reporters. Another local, Alistair Macintosh, echoed this, stating the problem is specifically "delivery drivers on the e-bikes going really fast" rather than traditional cyclists.
Council Takes Action Amid Public Outcry
The volume of complaints has finally spurred Wandsworth Council into action. In recent weeks, council officers have been deployed with handheld speed guns to monitor cyclists in the park. One cyclist, Ed Owen, was initially fined £50 for speeding but successfully appealed the penalty notice by arguing that speed limits generally apply only to motorised vehicles.
While Mr Owen agreed some cycling is dangerous, he highlighted a practical issue: "very few cyclists have a speedometer so have no way of knowing precisely how fast they are going." The council, however, maintains its stance. A spokesperson said: "Too many park users have told us they feel unsafe... Our Parks Police are taking action to protect many people, including considerate cyclists, who use our parks responsibly."
Residents' Stories of Fear and Confrontation
The human impact of the conflict is stark. Sam, 58, who has lived by the common for two decades, said she has seen toddlers knocked over by racing cyclists during busy summer months. Disabled walkers report near-misses, and Margaret Wardle, who uses a zimmer frame, said bikes swerve past her "really fast," leaving her feeling unsafe.
Confrontations are common. One woman pedestrian was met with a dismissive hand gesture and profanity after asking a delivery driver not to ride on a prohibited path. Dog walker Sarah Pyper summarised the enforcement dilemma: "Either police the fact that you get fast cyclists on all the other paths or just allow cyclists to go on all of them and get them to look out for pedestrians."
Many believe better signage and physical measures like staggered barriers are needed, as the current rules are widely ignored. David Thomas, a resident and cyclist himself, called it a "tricky one," acknowledging the need for safe cycling routes through green spaces but stressing that "people shouldn't feel unsafe." The council says its approach is "educational-first," with fines issued only as a last resort.
