The danger of riding between the pavement and large stationary vehicles is the focus of a new cycling safety campaign launched by Croydon Council on 14 October.
The campaign, ‘Cycle Aware’, seeks to keep riders safe by raising awareness of the risk of being hit by buses and lorries making left turns, particularly at traffic light-controlled junctions. Casualty statistics show that this is a relatively common cause of serious injury.
The council is keen to increase the number of people cycling in Croydon, and has improved cycle lanes and installed better bicycle storage facilities at major stations. It also works with British Cycling which coordinates a number of guided social rides throughout the year.
Campaign banners are being displayed on lampposts, a promotional trailer is being driven around the borough, and stickers and posters will be sent to local businesses and placed on vans and lorries.
Councillor Jason Perry, Croydon Council’s cabinet member for planning, regeneration and transport, said: “Even one fatality is one too many and that’s why this is an important message for cyclists and drivers alike. We want to see more people take up cycling and we want them to stay safe while on two wheels.”
The campaign is being supported by the consultancy firm Mott MacDonald, which has 1,200 people working from three offices in Croydon, and the transport company Transporta.
Laura Hague, group safety manager at Mott MacDonald, said: “Many of our employees choose to cycle to work as a fast, convenient, cost-effective and sustainable means of travel.
“As an employee-owned business, we take our responsibilities to our staff seriously; their safety and well-being is paramount. We welcome this new council initiative as a positive and proactive method of helping to safeguard our cycle commuters.”
Bryan Smith, owner of Transporta, said: “We are acutely aware of the dangers to cyclists who ride alongside our vehicles at junctions. Some of our trailers are over 40 feet long and will effectively close down the whole lane when turning. Any cyclist alongside is taking their life in their hands.
“We welcome this important new campaign and are delighted to support it.”
Click here for more information about the campaign.
In response to a discussion elsewhere, I was wondering what Transporta’s role in this campaign was. Did they have sign-off of the advice provided (which, as MJ below notes, is poor), or were they simply supporters?
srw, Buckinghamshire
0
This is a dangerously poor campaign. Those stickers are simply bad advice. Cyclists are allowed to overtake lorries (and should do on the right in most situations) and absolutely should not stop directly behind a lorry in the blind spot suggested by the sticker message and graphics. Whoever came up with “cycle aware” is obviously not aware of cycles!
MJ, Norfolk
0
I agree with the sentiment that David has raised and agree cycling up the inside of a stationary vehicle that may turn left is a risk (but that is where cycle lead in lanes are1), the graphics (too small here but I have seen them elsewhere) imply that if a bike (no rider!) should stop to get behind a large vehicle as soon as it overtakes them. The biggest risk in the top photo is the pedestrian guardrail which traps both cyclists and pedestrians in the carriageway.
Conversely I saw a pair of signs on the back a HGV:
[<- Suicide] [Overtaking Side ->]
Mark, Caerphilly
0
Anything that raises the awareness of cyclists being in no small way responsible for their own safety, particularly when in the vicinity of large vehicles, is well worth supporting.
David, Suffolk
0