Tag Archives: TV

Co-founder interviewed on London Live TV

London Live interview of Donnachadh McCarthy 2015-07
Donnachadh McCarthy on London Live TV’s ‘Headline Interviews’ programme in July 2015. Click the image to watch the full interview at London Live’s website.

Donnachadh McCarthy, co-founder of Stop Killing Cyclists, has appeared on London Live TV as part of their ‘Headline Interview‘ series.

The interview begins with an overview of Donnachadh’s early career in ballet dancing and party politics; then from about 9 minutes in, Donnachadh discusses the impact of poor road infrastructure on the health of people, not only those who choose to cycle today but also people that walk and drive.

Donnachadh said,

Cyclists are probably the smallest number of people who are dying on London streets. There’s around 100 pedestrians being killed every year…there are around 4000 people dying from pollution from our transport, there is around 3000 people dying from inactivity diseases.

He continued,

The campaign for Stop Killing Cyclists is actually to save the lives of 7000 others who are not cyclists. It is to benefit the health of all Londoners because all Londoners are breathing pollution, and there is something like 2/3 of Londoners who are unfit.

The interview is on London Live HERE.

UPDATE 15 July 2015: after the broadcast of the interview, this report came out - London’s air pollution ‘cost 9,400 lives’

Stop Killing Cyclists featured on Channel4 national TV with Jon Snow

Screenshot of Channel4 interview of Nicola Branch and LTDA by Jon Snow
Jon Snow (centre) interviews Nicola Branch (right) and Steve McNamara (left) on Channel4 television.

On 4th March 2015, popular Channel4 TV presenter Jon Snow interviewed Nicola Branch of Stop Killing Cyclists, a co-organiser of Monday’s protest, vigil and die-in at Westminster City Hall. (Video is embedded below).

Nicola stated,

I want protected cycleways which is slightly different [to segregated cycleways]. I want the model they have in Holland [The Netherlands].

Screenshot of Channel4 interview of Nicola Branch (with SKC title)
Nicola Branch was a co-organiser of Monday’s protest, vigil and die-in at Westminster City Hall.

Also in the studio was Steve McNamara, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association (LTDA). In January, Mr McNamara stated on BBC London radio that his organisation is against the “Crossrail for Bikes” Cycle Superhighways across central London:

“We’re against it, lots of businesses are against it. We are considering a Judicial Review against the scheme in conjunction with Canary Wharf and others.”

Last night, Mr McNamara stated that he and his LTDA members are in favour of segregated cycleways but not money being spent on building them:

We are all for segregated cycling lanes, my members want segregated cycling [but] The Mayor is spending £1bn of money he hasn’t got in London on cycling, we questioned that.”

He continued,

The fundamental problem is [that] London is the greatest city on the planet - you cannot implement a system in London identical to the one in Amsterdam - systems that work there won’t work in London, we haven’t got the road space for one…

REACTION

Andrew D Smith, a speaker at Monday’s protest, stated today,

When LTDA say they want “segregated lanes” they mean the maze of disconnected fragments on back streets that don’t go anywhere, disappear at junctions so few people want to use them. The moment there’s a proposal for protected lanes that go somewhere useful - like Victoria Embankment or Elephant to Kings Cross, the LTDA fight it tooth and nail.

Campaigning group CyclingWorks.London has stated that over 170 London employers support the Cycle Superhighways scheme.

Jon Klaff, a member of Stop Killing Cyclists, commented on Facebook that, “Steve needs to go to Amsterdam when he comments on lack of road space. He might notice the big, wet things in the middle called ‘canals’. Amsterdam has less space than London. Then he brings up New York, a city that is on the verge of being redesigned around the bike. Basically, he has no facts and lots of opinions.

Donnachadh McCarthy, co-founder of Stop Killing Cyclists told BBC News on Monday at the protest,

Westminster Council has spent ZERO on protected cycle lanes over the last 5 years; And what we want is 10% of the budget spent on protecting people cycling to work and school. We are not asking for more money to be spent on transport - we asking for 10% of the existing budget to be spent on cycling.

INVITATION

Nicola concluded the interview with an invitation,

I would like Steve to come cycling with me but I think Steve is too scared to come cycling with me - many people are too scared to go cycling.

Later in the evening, Nicola tweeted that her invitation had been accepted,

Steve agreed to cycle round Elephant & Castle [with] a hand shake & witnessed by @kemenzerem [Keme Nzerem, Correspondent, Channel 4 News]


Steve McNamara confirmed in an article published in the LTDA’s trade magazine ‘Taxi’, that: “the LTDA has already instructed its lawyers to prepare the grounds for a legal challenge by judicial review.”

The London Cycling Campaign stated on 29 January 2015: “the LTDA (represented by Bob Oddy) and the Canary Wharf Group (Peter Anderson) – sit on the TfL Board, which must ratify [the Cycle Superhighway’s] funding. Indeed, the Canary Wharf Group PLC already has form– being behind a damaging and inaccurate behind-the-scenes briefing against the superhighway proposals.”

In the same issue of ‘Taxi’, the LTDA reaffirmed its policies which include: ‘a complete ban on pedicabs‘; and, ‘taxi access to all bus lanes‘. Ed.Note: people who choose to cycle are permitted to do so in many of London’s bus lanes.

Jon Snow is also president of CTC, and has promoted their Space4Cycling campaign.

You can watch the full interview here (it was preceded by Keme Nzerem’s report): Nicola Branch debates with LTDA on Channel 4

Cycle Superhighways’ benefits for business debated on TV

TfL in discussion over £17m ‘cycle superhighway’ - London Live screenshot of Donnachadh
‘Wake Up London’ interviewed Donnachadh McCarthy this morning. Click image to watch a clip from LondonLive.

Donnachadh McCarthy, co-founder of Stop Killing Cyclists, made the business case for supporting London’s Cycle Superhighways on ‘Wake Up London’ at LondonLive breakfast TV this morning. He cycled to the studio.

Today, Transport for London (TfL) is anticipated to give gave the go-ahead to build safe, segregated/protected cycle lanes across a route in central London. Continue reading Cycle Superhighways’ benefits for business debated on TV

Stop Killing Cyclists with London Cycling Commissioner on ITV London News

Donnachadh writes…
Boris Johnson, The Mayor of London, needs to tackle the appalling situation that an estimated 30% of the trucks on London’s roads are being driven in an illegally dangerous state or illegally driven.

His cycling commissioner, Andrew Gilligan, twisted my fact about Boris targeting cyclists with fines at a rate 8 times higher than the trucks that are killing us, into a stat about all drivers, which is not what I said…..

I said the Mayor [Met Police] fined cyclists at a rate 8 times higher than the trucks that were killing us ( 4,000 fines for cyclists - 600 for trucks) - Gilligan attacked me saying I was wrong saying that they fined drivers 71% and Cyclists 29% and stating cyclists were 29% of inner London vehicles (?!!) but note he switched from TRUCKs to DRIVERS!!

ITV News London - Tuesday 27 May 2013 - 2013 Cycling KSI Released by Mayor


Also see the story from earlier today, which picked up both the statements from us and the Mayor: click HERE.