Richmond Park News: 17 April 2026

PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE VISIT TO CANADA

This week, I have been on a visit to the Canadian Parliament as a senior member of the Public Accounts Committee. This offered an exciting opportunity to see the similarities and differences of our two parliamentary democracies. 

The purpose of the trip was to gain a better understanding of how the Canadian Parliament is carrying out restoration work on Centre Block, which is the equivalent of the Palace of Westminster.  This will help us feed back to the Public Accounts Committee when we are next assessing the restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster.

We therefore got an extensive tour of the Centre Block, seeing the impressive architecture, as well as the restoration work which they are carrying out. I am very grateful for the warm hospitality we received from everyone in Canada. 

MORTLAKE AND HAM COFFEE MORNING

This Easter recess I hosted two coffee mornings for my constituents in Mortlake ward and Ham. It was an excellent opportunity for me to directly engage with my constituents.

I started both sessions by discussing some of the work I have been doing in Parliament, and, within the constituency. This was followed by questions, which led to fruitful discussion.

In Mortlake we discussed many important national issues including my campaign around suicide prevention, reducing the voting age to 16 and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East which is affecting prices at the petrol pump.

We then discussed some important local issues which affect individuals across Mortlake, and Richmond Park more broadly, including concerns around crime and feeling safe on the streets, as well as issues with our local transport network.

In Ham and Tudor, we opened discussions talking about the Teddington Direct River Abstraction (TDRA) project, which is a very important issue within the local area, and which I have continued to oppose. This led to discussions about the issues with Thames Water, and then on to other national issues including homelessness and shoplifting.

It was a pleasure to hear about all the issues that matter most to my constituents, and I look forward to hosting more coffee mornings in the future.

HARINGEY SHELLWORKS VISIT

On Thursday, I had the opportunity to visit Shellworks in Haringey, a company pioneering plastic-free packaging, in my capacity as Liberal Democrat Business spokesperson.  Shellworks creates new materials for packaging which are non-toxic and waste free. 

The Shellworks team and I discussed “Vivomer”, made from waste biomass, it is created through fermentation and formulation to behave like plastic, but without the harmful waste.

I discussed with the owners the challenges they’re experiencing with current legislation, which is geared towards promoting recycling and therefore disincentivises the use of biodegradable alternatives.

E-BIKE PROVIDER CHANGE IN RICHMOND BOROUGH

I have received a large volume of email about Richmond Council’s recent decision to award the borough’s e-bike contract to Forest Bikes and have spoke to Cllr Alex Ehmann, the Chair of 

The Council considered three matters when deciding on the future operator of e-bikes in the borough: the quality of service, cost to users and the value to the Council. While I understand that the quality of service provided by Lime and Forest was seen as being almost equal, Forest were able to significantly outscore Lime on the competitiveness of their pricing.

There will also be 400 more bikes available in the borough as a result of the deal, while Forest were able to provide greater assurances regarding the parking and management of the bikes. All neighbouring boroughs also use Forest, which will enable seamless journeys to and from Richmond.

Some people have asked me why there can’t be two providers. We have experienced significant issues with pavement clutter when there is only one provider, so I am not in favour of extending to two providers, as I believe it will make the clutter issue worse.

LOCAL ELECTIONS

The local elections are taking place on 7 May, and I would like to take this moment to remind everyone to register to vote. 

The deadline to register to vote is Monday 20 April, and the deadline to register for a postal vote is Tuesday 21 April. You can find out more information on Richmond and Kingston councils’ websites. 

KINGSTON VALE COFFEE MORNING: 

Following on from the coffee mornings I held over Spring recess in Mortlake and Ham, I have organised another question and answer session for constituents in Kingston Vale.

This session is scheduled for Monday 27 April between 11:00-12:30, and it is an opportunity for local residents to raise issues which matter to them.

If you wish to attend these meetings, please RSVP to office@saraholney.com. In this correspondence, please include your full name and address. My office will pass on the location of the meeting on Friday 24 April.

I hope you will be able to join me.

COMMUNITY NEWS:

WALKING HISTORY TOUR OF KINGSTON:

On 19 April 2026, Kingston Tour Guides will be holding a free, walking tour exploring the ancient history of Kingston Upon Thames. The tour will start under the Golden Queen on the Market House and will be a great opportunity to discover hidden stories and remarkable spots from its rich past. 

The tour is conducted every Sunday morning (until the end of November excluding Easter Sunday and Remembrance Sunday) and lasts two hours, from 11:00 to 13:00.

To reserve a free spot, click here. 

SHEEN ART TRAIL:

From 18 April - 2 May 2026, Sheen Art Trail will be showcasing the works of 36 local artists, exhibited in the windows and on the walls of your favourite local businesses.

There are a number of events available within the trail, including, the opening event and art market on the first day of the trail, a family day at the Hare & Hounds, a walking tour starting at the Plough and much more.

You can find out more details about this event by clicking here.