The Department of Transport has just released a TRL report about cycle safety from December 2010.
The main conclusions is that of all interventions to increase cycle safety, the greatest benefits
come from reducing motor vehicle speeds.
But that also:
– Most cyclist injuries in multi-vehicle collisions take place at junctions. Reducing the speed of traffic through junctions appears to be an effective approach to reducing cycle casualties, and importantly physical calming methods are a reliable means of achieving such a reduction.
– Providing segregated networks may reduce risks to cyclists, but evidence suggests that the points at which segregated networks intersect with highways can be relatively high-risk, sometimes of sufficient magnitude to offset any safety benefits of removing cyclists from the carriageway.
– A number of infrastructure interventions that are not widely used in the UK have been implemented on the continent to increase safety at junctions. Particular examples include cycle lane markings continued across junctions, cycle pre-signals and Trixi mirrors (mounted below signal heads to allow drivers of heavy vehicles to see cyclists at their nearside). The literature suggests that, appropriately applied, the former two approaches can have a beneficial effect on cycle casualties.
What do I take from this. That Southwark needs to become a 20mph borough and I’m working on East Dulwich first. Ideally with average speed cameras to help enforce this. We should try cycle pre-signals and continue cycle lane markings across junctions.
It’s all well and good pandering to cyclists, I realise that they probably make up a healthy part of your margin.
What’s going to be done to stop things such as riding on pedestrian pavements and jumping red lights? I realise that this won’t get you as many votes, but it should be addressed.
[…] Cycle safety report | James Barber | Liberal Democrat Councillor for … A number of infrastructure interventions that are not widely used in the UK have been implemented on the continent to increase safety at junctions. Source: jamesbarber.mycouncillor.org.uk […]
Hi Andy,
Anyone road user who breaks the law should be stopped and discouraged. The last data I read showed many pedestrians killed on pavements by cars and other vehicles mounting the pavements.
Why do cyclsits ride on the pavements? Lets make the road attractive enough so people cycling don’t feel the need to avoid roads.
Red lights. The report suggests that countires that have slightly different lights for cyclsits mean cyclsits don’t feel the need to get such an illegal head start from impatient drivers behind them.
So by promoting this report I hope the concerns you’ve expressed would start to be properly resolved.