Tag Archives: Follow-up

Documentary highlights the Stop Killing Cyclists campaign

A new, 15-minute documentary called ‘A Cycling Revolution‘ highlights the campaigning done by members of Stop Killing Cyclists and includes a segment shot at the recent National Funeral protest along Oxford Street.

Student filmmakers from the University of Westminster embarked on a journey to discover from campaigners, people on the street, and politicians like the Mayor of London and his cycling commissioner, what is being done to reduce road danger.

Their visit to Amsterdam is not to be missed - the reaction by locals to pictures of cycling in London is priceless!

Press Release - Stop Killing Cyclists Protesters Meet with Transport for London MD and Mayor of London’s Cycling Commissioner

SkC Press Release

Date:  22nd January 2014

Stop Killing Cyclists Protesters Meet with Leon Daniels (MD of Surface Transport for Transport for London) and Andrew Gilligan (Mayor Boris Johnson’s Cycling Commissioner)

Representatives of the 1,500 cyclists and pedestrians who staged the Mass Die-In at Transport for London’s HQ following the recent spate of 6 cyclist deaths met yesterday with Leon Daniels and Andrew Gilligan.

The attached letter contains the items that the Stop Killing Cyclists Deputation agreed at yesterday’s meeting with TfL.

They included:

* Andrew Gilligan agreed to ask the Mayor about introducing cycling/pedestrian representation on the TfL Board.


* Leon Daniels agreed to include cycling in the Crossrail Report being commissioned into the future of Oxford Street including its pedestrianisation.

* Andrew Gilligan agreed to consider annual survey of the London Borough’s Performance on Cycling.

* Andrew Gilligan agreed to consider process on how to ensure Superhighway routes are not blocked by Borough Planning decisions.

* Andrew Gilligan agreed to consider how TfL could provide expertise/Training to the Boroughs on Go Dutch standards of cycling infrastructure provision.

* Leon Daniels and Andrew Gilligan agreed a follow up meeting with Stop Killing Cyclists in March.

Stop Killing Cyclists Co-founder Donnachadh McCarthy said,

There are some large boulders to be removed from the route to get the safe cycling/walking London that Stop Killing Cyclists wants urgently for London’s children, pensioners and the vulnerable.

But this meeting starts the process of levering them out of the way. With 15,000 Londoner’s killed or seriously injured whilst walking or cycling or travelling on our roads since 2008, London’s transport system is clearly not fit for purpose.

He added,

Stop Killing Cyclists is determined to take on the hugely well-funded motorised lobby in our corridors of power and fight for safety and an end to the killing and maiming on our streets! Holding the 32 London Boroughs to account and providing representation on the Transport for London Board would be two good steps in the right direction.

 

Ends.

Notes for editors:

1. Stop Killing Cyclists was founded by grassroots activists following the awful spate of cycling deaths in November 2013.

2. List of Demands presented to Transport for London and Cycling Commissioner is in the briefing paper: click HERE.

3. Follow up letter from Stop Killing Cyclists to TfL: click HERE.

Cycling Minister reaffirms guidance to police regarding pavement cycling

Donnachadh McCarthy writes…

Robert Goodwill Minister for Cycling Letter (pdf)
Click on the thumbnail to read the letter from Robert Goodwill MP, the Minister for Cycling (pdf, dated 9 January 2014)

Wow - some positives from the meeting with the Lib Dem Minister of State (Department for Transport) Baroness Susan Kramer - see article about that by clicking HERE.

I have received a letter from Robert Goodwill, who is the Tory “Minister” for cycling (aka Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport).

(UPDATE:  click for PRESS RELEASE and LETTER TO POLICE; or to see the MEDIA COVERAGE including the ACPO police response)

Whilst the letter covers only a few of the cycling safety issues I raised with Susan, it does cover my request for ministerial clarification on the guidance for implementation of the fixed penalty fines for pavement cycling.

This follows my being told by Operation Safeway police that they had been instructed by their senior officers to ignore the guidance and to implement the letter of the law instead.

The GOOD news is the minister re-endorsed the original guidance by the Minister who introduced the fines, Paul Boateng which was :

“‘The introduction of the fixed penalty is not aimed at responsible cyclists who sometimes feel obliged to use the pavement out of fear of the traffic, and who show consideration to other pavement users when doing so. Chief police officers, who are responsible for enforcement, acknowledge that many cyclists, particularly children and young people, are afraid to cycle in the road… sensitivity and careful use of police discretion is required “

This was one of the issues the Vauxhall Cross Demo was addressing.

He also gives a potential positive to our suggestion that the DfT should be monitoring what local councils are doing on cycling, so that the data can be examined and compared and badly performing councils identified and held to account.

I have attached the letter (click on the thumbnail to see the pdf copy).

Yes We Can!

thanks
Donnachadh