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| London Cycling Campaign |
HGVs kill cyclists. In London it was found that:
In the UK as a whole:
It’s not only cyclists: "HGVs on our roads kill and injure a disproportionate number of drivers, pedestrians and cyclists":
A report from the European Road Safety Observatory, which gathers evidence on road safety for the European Commission, revealed that of the 4021 fatalities involving HGVs on European roads in 2013, only 15% were the HGV occupants. Car occupants represented 48%, while 32% were pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists or moped riders. Across the EU, only 15% of HGV fatalities are on the motorway, with 58% on rural roads, and 26% in urban areas.
We’ve posted on HGVs and cyclists before. We’ve asked What’s AI doing to improve truck safety?
Some think the increase in HGV numbers is to blame for the sudden drop in cyclist numbers. In 2015, whilst lorry traffic increased by 3.7% - "the fastest year-on-year growth in lorry miles since the 1980s" - bicycle traffic was down 6.1% - "the first downward turn in cycling miles in almost a decade." A Senior Transport Lecturer at the University of Westminster warned:
To see an upturn again, we shouldn’t just be focusing on designing the roads differently, we should also be looking to design out the scary moments. If people feel constantly comfortable when they’re cycling, they’ll be more likely to want to get on their bikes.
One of the problems is blind spots. None of these cyclists can be seen by the lorry driver:
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A team at Loughborough university found that vehicles used on construction sites had a “blind spot” almost three times larger than other types of lorries which had lower cabs and bigger windows.
It is not safe for HGVs with blind spots to share the roads with pedestrians and cyclists and priority must be given to the safety of vulnerable road users. Are we doing enough to reduce the risks that pedestrians and cyclists need to take during everyday commuting? Looking at the accident rates it is obvious that we are not!
Aggregate Industries' business is reliant on HGVs - with all their blind spots - carting material around the country. In January, the company warned "cycling safety issue needs to be fast-tracked… to reduce and prevent future accidents between cyclists and lorry drivers".
Less than three months later, however, this same company - with no doubt all the same HGV blind spots still on the roads - has launched a campaign to "to encourage school children to cycle".
What’s behind AI’s push for more youngsters to cycle, when many parents view roads as unsafe - particularly because of HGVs - with generally little or no suitable cycle provision? What makes AI, a purveyor of heavy building materials, qualified to hand out public health advice? You may well ask.
François Pétry, CEO of Aggregate Industries, says:
Cycling is a fun and easy way to keep fit and get outdoors. Using it as a mode of transport, such as cycling to school, also means you’re doing your bit to help the environment and cut down car journeys. That’s why we’re encouraging young people to ‘get on your bike’ and make cycling a part of their weekly routines and summer holiday activities.
Of course, AI’s a fine one to talk about "doing your bit to help the environment and cut down car journeys", as it pushes an application to put 2.5 million needless HGV miles on Devon’s roads.
But getting more young cyclists on the road is an admirable aim, especially if you can sell more "cycleway solutions":
A great example of this is the use of our innovative cycleway solutions, through our Charcon brand, which have been employed by numerous councils across the country as part of an investment in a segregation systems - in order to safely separate cyclists from key traffic blind spots
Getting more young cyclists on the road is an admirable aim - if it wasn’t for HGVs like this:
Or this:
Still no response from @AggregateUK. Here's a photo of their truck crushing someone on a bicycle this morning. pic.twitter.com/OxhgosvJlb— Lambeth Cycling (@LambethCycling) November 12, 2015
