“Is poor behaviour by some people cycling a reason to make children ride round buses unprotected on main roads?”: Greens Assembly leader backs Sadiq Khan for floating bus stops; Ineos Grenadiers’ “not great work in transfer market” + more on the live blog

LBC oft-times gets a handful of wild callers, but this time there’s one which has truly confounded us…

While on the topic of cycle lanes in London with reporter Henry Riley, cyclist Stuart had the (mis?)fortune of squaring off with Abraham, a bus driver who believed that “bikes don’t belong on the road”.

“We need to scrap cycling,” begins the caller. “We shouldn’t have cyclists on the road. They should be track-only. Honestly, look, I’m a bus driver, that’s my background. This 20mph stuff is ridiculous. Cyclists have been crossing 20mph, right?”

'We need to scrap cycling...you're putting your life at risk!'
'I'm not - I've never been involved in one accident in 35 years.'

Keen cyclist Stuart debates with caller Abraham, a bus driver, who says bikes don't belong 'on the road'.
@HenryRiley1 pic.twitter.com/CPbjnaI1Or

— LBC (@LBC) November 1, 2024

Riles says: “Well a lot of drivers are also crossing 20mph… but you don’t seriously think we should rip up cycle lanes?”

“No I think we should… we don’t need them on the road,” Abraham replies, before responding directly to Stuart, who cycles to work every day. “Look Stuart, you’re putting your life at risk every day by cycling. You are, believe me!”

Stuart then says: “I’m not. I’ve never been involved in one accident in 35 years, so I’m not putting my life at risk… and what I wouldn’t do is put somebody else’s life at risk, which some cyclists do — the people who’re on their mobile phones — completely agree, we’re not a perfect race right? However, I’ve also seen bus drivers, taxi drivers, white van drivers who drift into cycle lanes.

“I’ve also seen some of the cycle lanes in London that how they’ve been designed [is] completely wrong. You have tourists who have to cross the cycle lanes to get to their coaches. In the last two years, I’ve probably seen six accidents where cyclists have careered into people who have to cross cycle lanes to get to their coach. So that’s a thing of planning that’s not to do with cyclists, but ill-conceived planning of cycle lanes.”

Earlier this week, floating bus stops — the controversial schemes which makes the bike lanes go around a bus stop, segregating cyclists from motor traffic — made headlines as London Mayor Sadiq Khan decided to go against his own party member’s request to order a halt to the ‘bus stop bypasses’.

The request was made amidst continued pleas from many disabled charities and activities, as well as pointing out the issues this design can cause to the older populace, as pedestrians are required to make their way through a mini-crossing to go over from the pavement to the footpath.

However, Sadiq Khan has now found himself an ally in Green Party’s leader in the London Assembly, Caroline Russell, who praised the incumbent mayor for his decision to not buckle under pressure from party members, but at the same time called for more thorough research, thought and discussion — and ultimately, implementation of improved infrastructure that serves the needs for both cyclists as well as the elderly and the disabled.

> Leaked documents suggest "low risk" of cyclist collisions at "floating bus stops", as blindness campaigners urge safety action on design

Russell wrote that she had meeting with Londoners to talk about street designs in particular bus stop bypasses, including a number of organisations such as Inclusion London, Wheels for Wellbeing, Action Vision Zero, Transport for All and Guide Dog Campaigners.

“Bus stop bypasses are relatively new to London’s streets. They are being installed to protect children and less confident people on bikes from traffic danger. Some have been squeezed in without enough space and designs vary from place to place,” the Islington Borough councillor said.

“I’ve heard that unfamiliar and inconsistent street designs are confusing and can lead to disabled people fearing making everyday journeys and that’s not okay.

“Some people riding bikes are inconsiderate and that needs tackling. And so are some drivers. Is poor behaviour, by some people cycling, a reason to make children ride round buses unprotected on main roads?

“TfL were right to collect evidence about the good safety record and low risk posed by bus stop bypasses. But that’s not the whole picture. If new street layouts cause anxiety to disabled, blind and vision-impaired people that needs urgent action too.

“TfL should be able to create inclusive streets where everyone can feel confident getting on and off buses independently at bus stop bypasses AND children and unconfident Londoners on bikes are protected from traffic”

“This needs:

• early engagement and co-design with disabled and vision-impaired Londoners
• consistent designs
• clear expectations about who gives way to whom
• ​clarity for people on bikes about the need to pause at a bus stop bypass to let people cross the bike lane

“It also means:

• agreeing the safety purpose of vision zero projects and
• extensive communication with all Londoners so everyone is clear about how bus stop bypasses work and the need to keep each other safe as we make our daily journeys.

She concluded her Twitter thread saying: “I’m glad to see the Mayor has not given up on bus stop bypasses. I hope TfL will work to keep all Londoners safe and show that it understands the impact of unfamiliar street designs on the journeys of older, disabled, blind and vision-impaired people.”

> Cyclists to be banned from Oxford Street as part of Sadiq Khan’s pedestrianisation plans, but could be allowed to cycle at night

The thread from Russell seems to have been well-received by many cyclists and cycling campaigners. London Cycling Campaign’s Head of Communications, Simon Munk, perhaps put it best: “Thoughtful, nuanced thread from an ace politician! We need more of this and not just on ‘floating’ bus stops.

“So, can floating bus stops be improved? Absolutely. Is it vital we listen to concerns/act? Yes. Does that mean ban/ moratorium/ veto/ end to inclusive cycling routes? No.”

Feel free to share your experiences with floating bus stops and what do you think about them in the comments…

According to the new law, cyclists could also be sentenced to three years in prison and fined £2,500 for riding under the influence of alcohol...

> Cyclists caught looking at phones in Japan could face up to six months in jail, as new stricter cycling laws take effect