London cyclists to hold flashmob tomorrow to celebrate first day of "historic" Bank Junction car ban

A flashmob of cyclists will gather at Bank Junction tomorrow morning as the City of London Corporation starts a trial ban of taxis, cars, vans and lorries at the notorious intersection.

The junction, which has been identified as one of the most hazardous in the capital for cyclists, was where 26-year-old cyclist Ying Tao was killed in a collision with a lorry when she was riding to work in June 2015.

That prompted the campaign group Stop Killing Cyclists to organise a vigil and die-in, attended by hundreds of riders, to call for the junction to be made safer for pedestrians and people on bikes.

As we reported earlier this month, tomorrow marks the start of an 18-month trial to ban all vehicles other than bicycles and buses from the junction between 7am and 7pm. 

> City of London sets date for cars, lorries and vans to be banned from Bank Junction

To mark the start of what it describes as the “historic closure” and to pay tribute to Ying Tao,  Stop Killing Cyclists is inviting riders to join it for a flashmob between 6.45am and 7.30am on Monday morning.

The changes, which have been unsuccessfully opposed by groups representing London’s black cab drivers, have also been welcomed by the London Cycling Campaign (LCC), which has long been campaigning for the junction to be made safer for cyclists.

LCC chief executive, Ashok Sinha, said: “The closure of Bank junction to motor vehicle traffic is a huge step in the right direction that will make this bustling location in the heart of the City safer for everyone. We congratulate the City for taking this decisive action.”

Tompion Platt, head of policy and communications at the charity Living Streets, said: “The situation at Bank Junction today is dangerous and highly polluted, making it an uncomfortable and undesirable place to be, whether on foot or on bike.

“This ban on the majority of vehicles will provide welcome relief, just in time for the opening of the Elizabeth Line [Crossrail] and will help enhance London’s status as a world-class walking city.”