But wait—there’s a smaller, weirder zone inside the park itself. Regent’s Park has its own little toll road. For nearly 200 years, you’ve had to pay a small fee to drive through the Broad Walk during certain hours. It’s not the Congestion Charge; it’s a “Royal Park tax.” It costs about £1.50 for a car. Why? Because the park is an old Royal estate, and the money goes to keeping the roses looking smug. It is the only park in London that charges just to drive through its middle. So, while you’re not paying a congestion fee, you might still owe a few quid to the ghost of King George IV.
So what’s the verdict for your picnic trip? If you’re driving a compliant modern car, you can park near Regent’s Park’s Outer Circle without paying a penny to Transport for London. But do not, under any circumstances, take a wrong turn onto Park Crescent. That road is officially in the zone, and it will bite you. I once saw a man pull over there to check his map, and a traffic warden appeared from a bush like a ninja made of paperwork. It was terrifying. He paid £65 for that map check.
Final takeaway, served with a side of sass: Regent’s Park is a safe haven outside the Congestion Zone, but it is not a legal free-for-all. Bring a compliant car, avoid the sneaky roads south of Marylebone Road, and keep a few coins handy for the weird old toll road. If you do that, you can glide into the park feeling like a tax-dodging genius. Just don’t honk at the swans. They’re judging you, and they don’t pay road tax.
