Following the deaths of six cyclists on London’s roads in just two weeks, both CTC, the national cycling charity, and former Olympic cyclist Chris Boardman have called for urgent action to prevent more fatalities on our roads.
Nine of this year’s 14 cyclist fatalities have involved a heavy goods vehicle. The CTC wants to see a number of measures introduced to protect cyclists, including serious changes to road and junction layouts in busy areas, but also the design and specification of lorries to provide clear, direct vision between the driving position and pedestrians or cyclists near to the vehicle. Coupled with cab safety sensors and devices, road safety training specific to vulnerable road users and many other measures, the charity hopes to greatly reduce collisions between cyclists and lorries, which are far more likely to prove fatal than collisions with cars.
Chris Boardman is also British Cycling’s policy adviser and rode with Boris Johnson when he launched his ‘Vision for Cycling in London’. Boardman yesterday called for a ban on HGVs during peak hours on some of London’s road. Voicing his concerns in an open letter to the Mayor, Boardman said: “When I rode alongside you…you made a verbal promise to look at the successful experiences of Paris and many other cities in restricting the movements of heavy vehicles during peak hours. Lond
on has an opportunity to emulate and surpass Paris and to lead the way for the other ambitious cycling cities across Britain. Let’s not waste this opportunity to do something now.”
HGVs are banned from the inner ring roads of Paris during peak traffic times. There were no cyclist fatalities in Paris last year. Johnson however has said in a radio interview that he’s “not convinced” by the restriction on HGVs in London, saying studies carried out in other European cities left him “by no means satisfied” that the idea was the solution. Johnson has, however, agreed there had to be a “much bigger conversation about HGVs” and specifically the dangers they pose when they turn left.
The Mayor yesterday incensed many by seemingly side-stepping the bigger issue of how to make our roads safer in favour of raising concerns about cyclists wearing headphones.
The CTC however have said Boris must stop ‘ducking his responsibility’ to save future lives.
Boris Johnson is currently being questioned by London Assembly members at City Hall over cycling safety.
