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Danger routes for cyclists
Ben Bailey, Evening Standard12.02.08
More than 34,000 people were involved in bicycle accidents reported to the Met between 1996 and 2006, according to data released today by Transport for London.
The A3, which runs from London Bridge along Borough High Street to Wimbledon Common and beyond, is the riskiest road, with 744 recorded accidents, while the A23, including Kennington Road and Streatham High Road, claimed 623 casualties.
Although the number of cyclists injured has fallen, campaigners say the figures prove there is still a need for major investment in road safety, as demanded by the Evening Standard's Safer Cycling campaign. On average, more than one London rider is involved in a serious accident every day.
Charlie Lloyd of the London Cycling Campaign said: "Our priority is to lobby for a 20mph speed limit on all London roads. We want to make London a world class cycling city and we need safer roads to do so."
Boris Johnson, Conservative mayoral candidate, called the findings "astonishing", adding: "We need more people to feel confident enough to leave their cars at home and get on a bike." Sian Berry, the Green Party mayoral candidate, said: "There's obvious things we need more of, like advance stop lines at traffic lights, but they need enforcing by police. Cutting speeds would make the roads a lot safer for everyone." Ken Livingstone was unavailable for comment.
The statistics, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, also show:
156 cyclists have been killed in the capital over 10 years. Twelve died in 1997, while 19 were killed in 2006.
The number involved in serious accidents fell from 566 in 1997 to 373 in 2006.
The number of "slight" accidents fell from 3,852 in 1996 to 2,566 in 2006.
TfL says the number of cyclists has increased by more than 80 per cent since
2000. At least 480,000 bike journeys are made in the capital every day.
A spokesman said it was working with boroughs and the Department for Transport to make it easier for highway authorities to provide for higher levels of cycling.
Today's data relates to all London's roads, whether they are managed by TfL or councils.
Reader views (8)
Ok, yes, enable more cycling, but there has to be some regulation of cyclists and accountability, too. I have been hit twice in the past six months: once by a pavement cyclist coming up behind me, unheard (I'm partially deaf); the other time by a red-light runner as I crossed.
- Sallyp, London
Cyclists make mistakes but so do many other road users, as Threaded points out, pedestrians are a liability - often as soon as they see gridlocked traffic they feel they can step willy nilly into the road and are surprised when they get hit by cyclists!
Very few commuting cyclists travel at 30mph. With the average speed of motor traffic at something like 13mph it's impossible for bikes to hit 30mph and in fact your average commuter is physically unable to push his or her typically chunky commuting mountain bike to that sort of speed. 30mph is a huge exaggeration, the average speed of riders in the Tour De France is only about 25mph! I cycle with a cycling club sometimes and their top riders average at 20-25mph, so I very much doubt that Mr/Ms Commuter with his/her reflective jacket, assorted paraphernalia and rucksack would ever hit 30mph!
It's very ineffective and dangerous to fit rear view mirrors to bikes which require cyclists to look down, re-focus their eyes to view a tiny disc of a mirror to view what's happening behind them. I agree that cyclists need to make themselves more aware of what's coming up behind them, but it is far more effective for them to learn to shoot regular glances over their shoulders than look in a silly little mirror. Motorists in their bulky great vehicles need mirrors to see round the frame of the vehicle itself, cyclists have the advantage of being higher up off the road and having very clear views around them.
- Cyclist, London
So, cyclists get to stop in front of all the cars at lights, their own cycle lanes, the use of bus lanes, no road tax and they are exempt from normal road rules such as stopping at zebra crossings and traffic lights (and speeding)...and still this is not enough? Until it's made compulsory for all cycles to be fitted with at least one wing-mirror, cyclists should not expect much sympathy or patience from other road users.
- St, London
Some cyclists travel at almost 30 miles per hour - always blokes. They are too fast, silent and almost invisible. I would love to cycle but the odds are too great against cyclists.
- Ivegotanasbo, london
Why isn't Boris wearing a helmet? That's hardly setting a good example!
- L, London
It would help if they could teach pedestrians some road sense. The number of times pedestrians step out in front of a cyclist in circumstances where they wouldn't in front of a car are mind boggling. Why do pedestrians think they are less likely to be seriously injured in a collision with a bicycle than a car?
- Threaded, Roskilde, Denmark
Having been knocked off twice on the A23 due to drivers turning across the bus lane in front of me (one from alongside and one from the opposite side of a clear road!) I know all too well how dangerous that stretch can be! I think the solution though is better road safety on ALL road users parts - I've seen some rather dangerous driving such as speeding, undertaking and cutting into small gaps just as much as I see cyclists taking silly risks and jumping the red lights. I've also had a few close calls with pedestrians who assume that as they can't hear a car coming it must be safe to cross and step out in front of me, luckily though they are usually quite easy to spot and avoid!
- Mark, London
What they need to do is teach cyclists road safety. I don't drive but as a pedestrian I find cyclists absolutely terrible. There have been many times I have almost been hit by a cyclist because they think it is OK to ride across the road when people are trying to cross and they have the cheek to look at us like we're doing something wrong most of them are danger to pedestrians and themselves.
- Emma, London
