A THINK! campaign designed to improve safety for cyclists was relaunched last week in key cities following a successful first run in autumn 2013.
The campaign, which features eye-catching outdoor posters warning motorists and cyclists to watch out for each other, will run for four weeks in Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Leeds and Manchester.
The campaign originally ran in London in spring 2013 before being rolled out from October 2013 in the five cities where statistics show the highest rates of traffic collisions involving cyclists compared to population.
Evaluation of last year’s campaign showed that almost two-thirds of drivers agreed the adverts reminded them about the importance of looking out for cyclists.
Robert Goodwill, road safety minister, said: “This new poster campaign builds on the success of last year’s work to remind drivers to take care around cyclists and remind cyclists to be extra cautious around vehicles. This message is especially important as the weather improves and more people take to their bikes.”
More than £278m has been made available by the Government to support safer cycling, including £35m to tackle dangerous junctions, while nearly all of the projects being funded by the DfT’s £600m Local Sustainable Transport Fund contain a cycling element.
Local roads are the responsibility of local authorities and councils have been challenged to ‘cycle-proof’ their existing roads and plan for cyclists when designing new road infrastructure. Local authorities are also able to spend a portion of £1.89bn they receive for roads to improve provision for cyclists.
The Government has also made it simpler for councils to introduce measures such as 20mph zones and limits, and the installation of Trixi mirrors at junctions to help eliminate blind spots for drivers of Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) and ensure better visibility of cyclists at junctions.
Idris:
The Government does track accidents involving cyclists and you can find the “Annual report on reported road casualties GB” on http://www.gov.uk, which contains a wealth of data around reported road accidents (including cyclists). Here’s the link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/269601/rrcgb-2012-complete.pdf
Claire, London
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Any plans to keep and eye on the numbers of such accidents, or are the they so small and hence volatile to make this impossible?
Idris Francis Fight Back With Facts Petersfield
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I very much like the way in which this campaign paints neither side as either the victim, or the perpetrator. It seeks to give worthwhile advice to all, regardless of which group they are in.
David, Suffolk
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