A survey published today (2 March) by RoSPA suggests that a majority of people support the introduction of more cycling routes and dedicated cycle lanes.
In the YouGov survey, 68% of respondents said they would support greater cycling route provisions in their local area, and of those 78% said they would like to see more cycle lanes separate from the roads.
58% of respondents said they never cycle and 48% thought it unsafe to cycle in their local area, while 15% described their local roads as “very unsafe”.
The survey results have been published at the start of RoSPA’s 2015 Family Safety Week which this year focuses on cycling safety in a bid to encourage more people to get on their bikes.
Nick Lloyd, RoSPA’s road safety manager, said: “This survey reveals a stark message – we need to do more to ensure the country’s cyclists are safe on the road.
“Just over two-fifths (41%) said they do not cycle more often specifically because of worries for their safety, so this is an issue that we all need to take an interest in and address.
“The purpose of Family Safety Week is to encourage more people onto their bikes for the countless benefits that cycling offers, not least health and environmental, but to do this we need to ensure as a nation that people can do so without fear.”
Family Safety Week 2015 was launched today (2 March) by James Cracknell, double Olympic rowing champion, TV property expert Martin Roberts, and Nazan Fennell, a Birmingham-based campaigner whose 13-year-old daughter Hope was killed while cycling in 2011.
A different aspect of cycling safety will be covered on each day during the Week. On Tuesday the focus will be on the importance of choosing the right-sized bike for a child. Wednesday will look at cycling to school, Thursday will cover cycling to work and on Friday the spotlight will be on leisure cycling. The week will conclude on Saturday when the focus will be on sharing the road.
Training is vitally important when starting cycling as is knowledge of the Highway Code, so that we can all sing from the same hymn book.
Should we be encouraging children to cycle on our roads at that early age? I hope not. Albeit there are currently laws preventing cycling on the pavement (now in total tatters and disrepute) I as a police officer would always allow children of such an age on small bikes to ride on the pavement. Only when they got bigger in stature and bikes got bigger, at the age of 11 years and at senior school, did I intervene and advise them of the law and require them to ride on the road.
When young in service in the 1960s and 70s road safety was done by a couple of Trafpol. It was comprehensive and useful and not only encouraged safety but also compliance with the law and friendliness between kids and police officers. Something that is completely missing and different from today, I am afraid.
Bob Craven Lancs….Space is Safe Campaigner
0