Transport for LondonLatest plans to improve cycle safety in London
The plan highlights the need to take action, by:
- Promoting the cycling safety message to all road users l Delivering new, safe cycle routes and facilities (including the new Cycle Superhighways routes and the central London Cycle Hire scheme, with its 6,000 bikes
- Providing confidence-boostingtraining for cyclists
- Encouraging HGV operators in London to take cycling safety seriously (including engaging with around 7,000 companies and encouraging them to join Transport for London's (TfL's) Freight Operator Recognition Scheme)
- Working with the freight companies which run construction vehicles (they will be encouraged to install side-bars or other safety devices on HGVs that are currently exempt)
- Calling for Government action to improve HGV safety
- Championing trials of innovative safety measures (such as Trixi mirrors to examine their potential benefits for cycling safety)
- Creating a Cycle Safety Working Group made up of key road user and cycling organisations
Details of the document will be sent to around 100,000 cyclists, cycling groups and all London boroughs.
Beware HGVs
Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: 'Cycling in London is safer now than it was a decade ago.
'But with so many potential pelotons of new cyclists taking to our roads it is imperative that we take action now to ensure that they can cycle safely.
'I know as well as anyone the dangers of cycling alongside an HGV; and I want to work with the Government, freight companies and anyone else who can help to make cycling safer for everyone.'
A key aim of the plan is to reduce the number of cyclists injured or killed by collisions with goods vehicles.
The Mayor is calling on freight companies operating in the capital, who are exempt from fitting side guards on their vehicles to fit them or other safety devices.
New research has revealed that fitting guards, which run along the side of the vehicle, might have contributed to preventing the deaths of 15 out of 23 cyclists killed by collisions with large vehicles moving to a left lane or turning left in London between 2001 and 2006.
The Mayor is asking the Transport Secretary to revoke the exemption for some construction vehicles as this could save cyclists' lives.
He has also called for a change in the law so that all HGVs over 3.5 tonnes, regardless of their age, should have additional safety mirrors retrofitted.
Free cycle training
The numbers of cyclists killed or seriously injured on London's roads has fallen by around a fifth in the past decade, despite the fact that cycle journeys on major roads has more than doubled in that time.
But, with more Londoners taking to two wheels, the Mayor and TfL are aware that there has never been a more important time to focus on cycle safety.
Londoners are being urged to sign up for the free, TfL-funded cycle training that is available to adults and children through London's borough councils. Last year 5,875 adults and 39,118 children tookpart in this training.
An online five minute cycle safety training film was also developed, which can be watched on tfl.gov.uk/cycling and YouTube, that gives safety tips and advice to cyclists and drivers of goods vehicles, on how to behave around each other.
Go to tfl.gov.uk/businessandpartners to take a look at the cycle safety plan
