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Five minutes to make a difference
22 July '11 by admin, under Campaign.
Update – 26 July – Great to see so many of you email Tony and Zac – please read on and take 5 minutes send your own message to them and make a difference. If you share your emails and any responses to we’ll post them up here. A great example from at the bottom of this post.
We were saddened to hear news of a cyclist dying following a collision on Kew Bridge last Thursday evening (14th July). It didn’t get much coverage in the local press – the only articles we’ve seen were in the and the website (with the reporting in the latter more worried about the impact on traffic). At the time of writing, there was no coverage in the Richmond and Twickenham Times, despite us contacting them to inquire about it. The death brings to ten the number of cyclists killed in London so far this year and in the same period 44 pedestrians have died. It shows how the issue of road safety is a serious one for all vulnerable road users. Please read further to hear how you can get involved.
Kew Bridge comes under the responsibility of TfL, with whom we’ve struggled to get the needs of vulnerable road users taken seriously elsewhere in the borough, with the London Road Roundabout and London Scottish Rugby Club exit issues being two examples. With Kew Bridge, there has been ongoing confusion about the status of the footpaths as to whether or not they are shared use, with the signage not particularly clear. Regardless, the ends of the bridges, particularly on the Brentford side, are extremely intimidating and with the future passing along this route, it needs to be addressed. Nick, our Campaigns Coordinator had highlighted these concerns and more in his review of cycle provision on the bridges over the River Thames, which sadly came out just as we heard about the incident on Kew Bridge.
The issues we’re facing in the borough with TfL are part of a wider cross London issue, as shown by to stop the speed limit being increased. For us in the borough, this needs to change. Despite various correspondences, meetings and even with , TfL are still not taking this seriously enough.
We’re therefore asking all of you to take 5 minutes to write/email/phone both , the London Assembly Member for our Borough, himself a cyclist and , the Member of Parliament who’s constituency borders Kew Bridge, and who’d previously stated he’d work to “push the concerns of cyclists much higher up the agenda of the professionals who manage our roads“.
Tell them how you want our borough to be for more vulnerable road users.
Tell them what you tell us about wanting Richmond to be a more inviting place to cycle.
Tell them how you’d like your daughters, sons, nieces and nephews to be able to cycle safely in the borough.
Tell them how TfL needs to take more vulnerable road users more seriously, by introducing 20mph limits on the bridges across the Thames and listening more seriously to the concerns of pedestrians and cyclists.
If nothing else, just tell him how saddened you are to hear of the death of someone on our roads and what are they doing to stop it.
Please take just 5 minutes, in memory of the cyclist who died last week, and to do your bit to try and reduce the chances of it happening again. We really don’t want to be reporting in the future about other cyclists or pedestrians who’ve died on TfL managed roads where there was a known issue. Pass on any responses you receive to and we’ll share them here.
Tony Arbour’s contact details are:
Telephone:
Email:
Zac Goldsmith’s contact details are:
Telephone:
Email:
Some of your emails below:
From: Cycle to Work Calculator
Dear Tony, Dear Zac,
I am very saddened and worried to hear about another person on a bike who was killed by a person in a car this week on Kew Bridge, especially because I cycle to work over Kew Bridge each day and know how scary and dangerous it can be.
I myself have been knocked off twice on the approach to the bridge where the road quickly goes from 2 lanes to 1 lane to 2 lanes and vehicles race for position and I was squashed between the car and the high kerb and then thrown off onto the pavement.
Luckily for me, my baby, my wife, my family and my friends, I survived, but unfortunately the person on Thursday did not – even after a brave few hours struggling to live according to reports.
Please could you let me know what plans (if any) are in place to stop this happening yet again?
As I tried to do the safest thing and cycled on the wide pavement and grass during these dangerous few metres to avoid dying but the Police often do spot checks for cyclists and I was told to get back on the road! This struck me as extremely naive to the situations of all people – people walking, people cycling and people driving.
The question we have to ask ourselves is: Are the lives of people who cycle in London worth less than people who use cars to get to work?
I know the official answer is that all lives are equal, yet, in reality this is not the case and we all know it – you, me, other cyclists and other drivers.
Of course, there is a massive cost implication of changing London into a 21st century cycling.
I am increasingly impressed by new cycling infrastructure projects but these are too selective and localized to benefit each cyclist on each individual jouney. Major mind-shifts need to be made.
What do I suggest?
I suggest more separation of road users. This concept currently works EXTREMELY well for pedestrians with the concept of RAISED pavements.
And this is the key point.
There is a phyisical separation (that effective little 4 inch curb) between people without protection and the vehicles.
Cycle lanes should therefore have a raised curb (or at least a wider painted line/hump) between the cycle lane and the road itself.
I very much look forward to hearing both your responses on this topic.
Steve Morgan
Cycle to Work Calculator
‘Encouraing people to cycle to work’
