Whipsnade Zoo

Monday, 6 August, 2007

I was visiting Whipsnade Zoo on the weekend. It’s a fun place to take kids, there’s lots to do and it helps support their wide ranging conservation programme. If you look at the imagery at Live Maps you can see an extensive network of internal roads at the park. You have to pay to take your car in, but it’s very popular in summer. Out of interest I contacted the Park to see if bikes were allowed entry (because I hadn’t seen any). I received the following reply from them:

No bikes are allowed in the Zoo due to Health & Safety implications.



This really did make me laugh, so I replied:

It’s somewhat disappointing that bikes are not allowed in, as the park has the potential to offer an excellent environment for pedestrians and cyclists. I would have thought cars posed a much greater threat to safety, noting the speeds some drivers go at, complete lack of use of seatbelts by many and the absence of footpaths in parts of the park. I do appreciate that it’s an important revenue stream for the park though.



Money rules, even in conservation. Is there anywhere we can actually get the car away from?

Add comment

Fill out the form below to add your own comments