The Government yesterday released its response to the House of Commons Transport Committee’s Cycling Safety report. While new measures have been announced, both CTC and Sustrans have been critical, arguing that sweeping changes are needed if the Prime Minister’s ‘cycling revolution’ is to be realised.
The response states that the Department for Transport is currently working on revising the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions (TSRGD) to include many changes aimed at helping authorities provide better cycling facilities. However, Claire Francis, Head of Policy for Sustrans, described these as being ‘sticking plaster solutions’.
“Any measures to improve the safety of cycling in Britain can only be a good thing, and it’s important that this issue is being raised at senior levels of Government. However sweeping changes, not sticking plaster solutions, are needed and these recommendations do not go nearly far enough.”
The changes being considered include new traffic lights to give cyclists a head start at junctions; options for joint crossings for pedestrians and cyclists; options for larger advanced stop lines; removing the requirements for Traffic Orders for some cycling facilities; and relaxed signing requirements for new 20mph zones.
Roger Geffen, CTC Campaigns and Policy Director said:
“The Government’s response to the Committee report is very disappointing. While the Prime Minister calls for a ‘cycling revolution’, his government is making long term plans for road and rail while neglecting cycling. Clearly he needs to step in and take a personal involvement to prevent his cycling plans growing dusty and rusty at the back of the Department for Transport’s store cupboard.”
Francis describes funding as being ‘the missing link’ and the apparent reluctance to address this is one aspect of the response about which Geffen is particularly critical.
“There is a fundamental failure to address the Transport Committee’s weakened recommendation for a timetable on how cycling can be funded by £10 per head annually. This is small change within the Government’s overall transport spending.”
Francis points to the new Infrastructure Bill as being an opportunity to back cycling. She highlights the fact that the bill promises to deliver the biggest shake up to the roads network in a generation, yet makes no mention of cycling.
“An amendment to this bill would provide a great opportunity to guarantee long term funding for safe cycling. I challenge the Government to put money where its mouth is.”
And? Your neck don't work?
Does anyone have the KSI stats for penny farthings for the last 5 years, I suspect they are lower than for these so called Safety bicycles!
No, that's very doubtful while proper testing would be fully destructive.
In that £1000 exactly scenario, beginners should probably be made aware that pedals will be extra.
What's wrong with dropping down on to the Millenium Bridge, or the swing bridge, then the brief, but satisfying climb back up the hill? #training....
The relatives might of course disagree, but in general I'd countenance a relatively light sentence* if only we could fix it so that those who...
Id forgotten that I got a second hand set of project two's for my getting to work bike over twenty years back.
My bet is that all these tires popping off are from people with bad pressure gauges or they're simply just putting too much air in on purpose. ...
David9694 - you were right! These new autonomous vehicles really are conspiring to run out of control!...
Decathlon have the Garmin Varia RTL515 on offer at the moment for £129.99: https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/rearview-radar-varia-rtl515-65-lumens/_/R-...