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Giant mirrors are set to be fixed to traffic lights in a bid to reduce the number of London cyclists killed by left-turning vehicles.
They are due to be tested for six months along the first of Mayor Boris Johnson's “cycle superhighways”, which will create direct guided routes to and from central London.
Nigel Hardy, Transport for London's cycle superhighways project director, said he hoped the Department for Transport would approve the installation of a “significant number” of Trixi mirrors in time for the launch of the £23 million superhighways on July 19.
The Trixi mirrors are named after a Swiss cyclist, Beatrix Willburger, who at the age of 13 was seriously injured when she collided with a turning cement mixer. Her father Ulrich has promoted their use across the Continent.
Mr Hardy said: “These provide a much better view around the vehicle for HGV drivers. It's also another form of advertising to the driver to check their mirrors, and to cyclists that they should not be on the left-hand side of vehicles.”
If the mirrors are approved, it will be the first time they have been tested in the UK.
Thirteen cyclists were killed in London last year — down from 15 in 2008. A further 420 were seriously injured, down two per cent.
Cyclist fatalities and serious injuries are down 24 per cent since the mid-Nineties, despite the number of people cycling in the capital more than oubling.
The first superhighways will link the City and Colliers Wood, and Barking and Tower Gateway. Twenty-four miles of main roads are being covered in 1.5-metre wide strips of Oyster-card blue surfacing to indicate the space meant for cyclists. A further 10 — two more each year — are due by 2015.
In some areas road space has been taken from motorists and key junctions have been changed to protect cyclists where they are directed into the middle of the road. Occasionally the routes utilise and enhance existing council cycle lanes.
Mr Hardy said the routes were selected after observing the “desire lines” used by cyclists heading in and out of work.
“There are around 5,000 people a day using both routes,” he said. “We would like to increase that by around 20,000 people a day within the next three years.”
But John Siraut, of the Colin Buchanan transport consultancy, said there was little difference from conventional cycle lanes “other than a lick of garish blue paint”.
He said: “Cyclists will veer in and out of the cycle highway as necessary to get around and through traffic. This will annoy car and other vehicle drivers who think the cyclists should stick to their dedicated bit of blue. What is so super about this?”
Jenny Jones, the Green member of the London Assembly, rode the City to Merton superhighway yesterday and said she was surprised how much work was unfinished.
She said: “I love the idea of the superhighways but they have to be safe and fast or they are worse than useless. They must be more than blue paint and promises.”
Reader views (15)
ST, London - There is no such thing as "illegal undertaking" for cyclists. It's called filtering and cyclists as well as motorcyclists are allowed to move through slow and stationary cars and lorries when it's safe to do so. We are not obliged to gather at the rear of a traffic jam with motorists despite there being wide spaces each side of jammed up traffic. If cyclists moving with ease through traffic jams irritates you, stop using your car otherwise deal with it.
- Headhunter, London, 02/07/2010 17:44
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Mr Port - Cyclists DO contribute to roads and their upkeep. Roads are paid fo through local council tax which I think most cyclists pay. VED or "road tax" is a tax on motorists but the money is not guaranteed to be used for road upkeep. In any case many cyclists own cars and pay "road tax" anyway. The only roads cyclists do not pay for are motorways and major dual carriageways between towns and cities which I think are paid for out of general central government revenues, but cyclists do not use these roads anyway! Motorists should pay for a large chunk of maintenance of roads anyway, how much damage do you think a 10kg bike and 70-80kg rider do to a road surface compared with a 2 tonne car or 10-20 tonne HGV? The weather probably does more damage to road surfaces than bicycles!
- Headhunter, London, 02/07/2010 15:25
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Any measure that improves the safety of London's cycling population has got to be a good thing. Less cars on the roads (and more people on bikes)is probably one of the few statements both cyclists and motorists would agree on. As such, the addition of these new mirrors looks like a positive step.
However, maybe these mirrors should also be equipped with a camera that records all the errant motorists and motorbikes riders who regularly make use of the cycles lanes and ASL's at junctions? If Boris wants to make the roads safer for cyclists, more effort should be made to enforce the provisions for cyclists that are already in place.
The same laws, restrictions & enforcement relating to the use of bus lanes should also apply to cycle lanes. This is the only way motorists will ever give more vulnerable road users respect i.e. when it costs them.
- regular cyclist, london, 23/06/2010 17:29
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If cyclists are going to get there own superhighway on the road surely they must start paying a contribution for its upkeep
As a motorist a few years ago we used to have two lanes to drive up and down in when driving on Londons roads, then bus lanes were introduced eeverywhere and we went down to one lane, now a quarter of that lane is being painted for cyclists to use, isnt it time a cycle tax was introduced to pay for their share of the road.
- Mr S.Port, London, 23/06/2010 00:02
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Nigel Hardy's comment that cyclists should be on the left of vehicles at junctions is irresponsible.
Being on a bike to the left of trucks at junctions gets you killed as proven by the circumstances of many of the fatal accidents mentioned.
Yes, obviously truck drivers should look where they are going and should be prosecuted for causing death by dangerous driving if they kill by not doing so, but that is not much consolation when you are dead. Bikes are safest where they can either be seen (in front of the truck) or where the truck is unlikely to go unexpectedly (behind it).
These mirrors wont save lives if they encourage more cyclists into the danger zone.
Does Hardy cycle in central London? If not, why was appointed to this role? Has he listened to anyone with real expertise in the area?
- Tony, Kingston, 22/06/2010 21:24
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At first glance this seems like a good idea, but I wonder if it will add to cyclists' apparent sense of invincibility and in fact encourage them to do more illegal undertaking and therefore lead to more accidents...
- ST, London, 22/06/2010 13:26
But these are being introduced by your glorious Boris so they must sutely be perfect!!
fact is where is the concrete divider to seperate cyclists from other traffic like the cycle lanes they have in Labour Camden?
As for Blue well at least we will know that any cyclists killed in them will be Boris and not Kens fault.
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 22/06/2010 19:49
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Can pedestrians also use these mirrors to see looney cyclists intent on ignoring red lights?
- BJ, East London, 22/06/2010 16:41
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I cycle in London to work everyday. The more safety initiatives the better, so these Trixi mirrors look a good idea as inevitable human error means you can't rely on drivers to always look in their own vehicle mirrors, yet the Trixi mirrors should attract the eye to use them I think. Cyclists must have responsibility for themselves, and the number of poor cyclists I see without common sense is worrying. Why cyclists think it is a good idea to swerve around drains, potholes, etc without looking behind themselves first beggars belief, so maybe compulsory handlebar mirrors would be sensible, as would complusory mudguards as it is very annoying to be sprayed by bikes in front. Paint on the roads can be slippery, but surely the council have used coloured tarmac that is not. I do wish the council would stop reducing the amount of cycle lane that is on my way to work - I thought Boris was meant to be encouraging cycling!
- DR, London, 22/06/2010 15:16
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At first glance this seems like a good idea, but I wonder if it will add to cyclists' apparent sense of invincibility and in fact encourage them to do more illegal undertaking and therefore lead to more accidents...
- ST, London, 22/06/2010 13:26
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Danny, London
I can understand your sentiments, but there could be anything on either side of the large vehicle, including a small child. It is the responsibility of the drivers to ensure there is nothing on the road they can damage, hurt etc. End of (using their mirrors as they should have been trained!).
- Rod, Epping, UK, 22/06/2010 12:04
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Another solution might be to tell cyclists not to squeeze up the near side of large vehicles at traffic lights.
- Danny, London, 22/06/2010 11:27
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Having cycled on these new lanes I have two comments. One: the blue colour makes it harder to see contrast in the road surface so it's harder to spot where the bumps, cracks and potholes are and two: the blue surface seems to create more surface water in the rain reducing the grip levels.
I wonder if this was trialled anywhere before deciding to decorate the roads?
- singleta, Streatham, UK, 22/06/2010 11:03
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"It's also another form of advertising to the driver to check their mirrors, and to cyclists that they should be on the left-hand side of vehicles.”
I hope that's a misprint, and they're not actually encouraging cyclists to stick themselves on the inside of HGVs at junctions.
- Kevin, watford, 22/06/2010 10:33
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I noticed the blue cycle superhighways this morning when riding into the city (on my scooter) via Brixton and Kennington. Most cyclists were sticking to the blue lane, which was good. I think the mirrors at traffic lights are a good idea and definitely a step in the right direction. I've also always thought that bicycles should also have wing mirrors in the same way that motorbikes do too - too many dont check behind them when they change lanes at the moment, in my experience. It can only help!
- Mike O, London, 22/06/2010 10:23
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The drivers of large vehicles are the ones responsible for not using their own mirrors. Instead of erecting large mirrors at junctions (probably out of the public purse), legislate properly so that lorries and buses have sufficient views of all the road, an are trained to use them properly.
- Rod, Epping, UK, 22/06/2010 09:47
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