There has for some while been debate among road safety and active travel professionals about balancing the benefits of sustainable modes in terms of reducing air pollution and improving public health, with concerns about road safety.
Speakers:
- Ian Davey, BTN BikeShare
- Lucy Marstrand-Taussig, Healthy Streets Adviser, Project Centre
- Rianne Hogenbirk, Department of Trauma Surgery, University Medical Center, Groningen
- Goldie Khera, Consultant General, Brighton and Sussex University Hospital
This page does not automatically refresh – click here to load the latest entries.
10.45 – Goldie Khera, Consultant General, Brighton and Sussex University Hospital
Goldie Khera – a consultant general, laparoscopic and bariatric surgeon with an interest in trauma and emergency surgery – was appointed in 2012 to Brighton and Sussex University Hospital (BSUH).
Cycle helmets – Nerdy or Necessary?
Cycling is fun, great for the environment, cheap and healthy – and becoming more popular
However, witnessed an anecdotal increase in cycle casualties as a result
We need to change attitudes that cycle helmets are not cool – perceived to be nerdy.
Helmets not going to protect from all injuries – but better than nothing.
What’s the evidence?
75% reduction in severe brain injury
Let’s make bike safety a priority by wearing a helmet
Cycle helmets – nerdy & necessary!
10.30 – Rianne Hogenbirk, Department of Trauma Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen
Rianne Hogenbirk is a senior year medical student currently researching the consequences of bicycle crashes in the Netherlands.
Presentation: E-bikes; too fast, too furious! An analysis of e-bike and conventional bicycle related accidents
- 23,000,000 bicycles in NL
- 70,000 bicycle accidents per year
- 200 bicycle accident deaths per year
- 33% of total traffic fatalities
- Introduction of E-bikes in late 90s
E-bikes:
- 1,900,000 in NL
- Supports 25-27km/h
- Weight 9kg heavier
Results of study – which took place between July 2014 & May 2016:
475 bicycle accidents – 107 E-bikes (22.5%)
- Mean age: 65y
- Comorbidity (presence of one or more additional disorder/disease) present: 80%
368 conventional bicyclists (77.5%)
- Mean age: 39y
- Comorbidity present: 37% –
No difference in type of accident – but helmet use in only 1 e-biker
More spinal/lower body injuries among e-bikers
Conclusions
- E-bike accidents occur more frequently in elderly
- E-bikers: – More often polytraumatized – More severe head-injury – Longer duration of hospital admission
- More research is needed to make recommendations on preventive measures
10.15 – Lucy Marstrand-Taussig, Healthy Streets Adviser, Project Centre
Lucy Marstrand-Taussig is a transport consultant with around 18 years’ experience in design of either buildings or highways (both public and private sector).
Her key area of interest is planning and designing roads suitable for walking and cycling – specifically enabling more active travel among children, the disabled, women and older people.
Presentation: Transport Curriculum: walking, cycling and road safety
Now a huge demand in active travel – healthy cities
Status quo in UK highways
- Entrenched practices – status quo road design
- Evidence: 1969 study – as traffic increases:
- People socialise less with neighbours
- Stress levels rise
- Play territory narrows
- Roads are physical manifestation of choices and attitudes
- The default: car priority despite user hierarchy
- The exception: pedestrian priority supporting Highway Code Rule 170
Who’s designing for who?
Majority of the population can not comfortably or safely use the majority of our roads
Two types of research
- Current local authorities practitioners (via LinkedIn)
Bachelor’s degrees by subject held by Heads of Transport in local authorities.
- 64% Engineering
- 3% Law
- 2% Design related
- 8% Transport related
- 6% Maths and sciences
- 9% Planning
- 6% Geography
Gender breakdown of Heads of Transport in UK local authorities
- Approx 90% male
2. Training the next generation – comparison of 9 Transport MSc syllabi
Proportion of module guides which mention (explicitly or implicitly) different types of infrastructure
- Walking and cycling not mainstream
Southampton syllabus – Transportation Engineering: Analysis and Design Module
- 14 elements, 1 directly covered walking and cycling
Walking and cycling expressed physically as a secondary afterthought – but all the topics have a major impact on walking and cycling
What should be on the engineering syllabus?
- 14 elements – 1 on motor traffic, 13 on walking and cycling
Road funding to ‘Transport Equality’ funding:
- Re-allocate funding to cater for everyone
- Roads to comply with Equality Act 2010
- New focus on playing out (roads, not parks)
- Roads to have a minimum Level of Service
10.00 – Ian Davey, BTN BikeShare
Ian Davey has been involved in sustainable transport in Brighton & Hove for over 20 years. Most recently he has been working on setting up and running the Brighton & Hove bike share scheme, BTNBikeShare.
Presentation: Bike Sharing in Brighton & Hove: Impact on Road Safety?
BTNBikeShare
Size of scheme:
- 450 bikes, 56 hubs, 750+ stands
- Phase 2: +120 bikes, +10-12 hubs, +150 stands
Bikes & hubs
- Smart bikes
- Hybrid: best of docked & dockless
- Hubs particularly in key locations give structure & visibility
- Enable sound management of public & private space
- Site safety audits, TRO, Licence
- Strong brand identity
- Sense of local ownership
Using the bikes
- No deposit
- Annual rider: £72 – 60 mins free use per day (20p/day)
- Easy rider: 3p/min, £1min per trip
- £12 max per day
- £2 out of hub lock fee
- £1 return to hub bounty
- £10 out of area lock fee
Year 1+ headline stats
“The most popular bike share scheme in UK outside of London.”
- 60,000 registered customers
- 450,000 trips
- 850,000 measure miles cycled
- Average rental length: 22 minutes
- Average trip distance: 1.9 miles
- RTC – 1 (reported)
- KSI – 0
Available research on safety of bike share
The Safety of Bike Share Systems: Elliot Fishman, Paul Schepers, International Transport Forum, OECD, 2018.
Comprehensive review of existing research:
- Notes: bikeshare now in 1000 cities with 4.5m bikes (Russell Meddin 2018)
- Cites: Jacobsen (2003) and his landmark paper on Safety In Numbers (SIN)
- Fears about safety in Citi Bike in NY proved unfounded – 1 fatality in 5 years
Conclusions – Fishman & Schepers (2018)
“on a per kilometre basis, bike share is associated with decreased risk of both fatal and non fatal bicycle injuries when compared to general bike riding.”
Possible contributory factors:
- Safety in numbers – increased driver awareness
- Lower speeds
- Upright riding position increases visual profile and field of vision
- Drivers enhanced caution towards inexperienced riders
- Trips concentrated in central areas where general speeds are lower and prevalence of cycle infrastructure greater
BTNBikeShare: Safety conclusions
BTNBikeShare is very safe. Possible contributory factors:
- High rates of cycling in city
- Good road safety in Brighton & Hove
- High quality well maintained bikes
- Functioning lights that come on automatically
- Very visible: bike colour and upright position
- Speeds are low
- Common sight on city roads
- Other road users give more space?
- Generally ridden in central areas
Comment on this story