Cyclopark parkrun, near Gravesend in Kent, was cancelled at short notice on Saturday 24 October after large planters were installed on a cycle path forming part of the course. The 5km event, which starts at 9am on Saturday mornings, has staged more than 300 events and attracted over 10,000 different finishers.
The planters were placed by Kent County Council because of concerns about vehicles using the path. Janet Murray, who has run the course for 13 years, told the BBC that hundreds of participants would typically have to navigate around them. She described the situation as “really quite dangerous” and called the event a community hub.
A parkrun spokesperson said the event aims to return in the near future with a redesigned route. A joint statement from the organisers and Cyclopark said course changes are being reviewed so that the event can restart safely. It added that the planters reduce safety risks and slow unauthorised vehicles while meeting Department for Transport accessibility guidelines.
Kent County Council said the planters are intended to deter and slow unauthorised access while keeping the route accessible and safe. The council said the Cyclopark Charity and Cyclopark parkrun are working to restart the event as soon as possible once a redesigned course is confirmed, and that it will work with the charity and Kent Police.
The episode illustrates a recurring tension for volunteer-led events that rely on shared public space. Routes that work well for walkers, runners and families can be affected by access-control measures installed for other reasons. For now, regular participants will need to find alternative events nearby until a revised course is confirmed.