Press Release: Cycle Planning Disasters Tour

January 30, 2014 AndrewRH Leave a comment

Cycle Planning Disasters Tour

When: 2pm Saturday 8th February.

Where: Meet outside Southwark Council Offices, 160 Tooley Street, London SE1

What: Stop Killing Cyclists has invited London and Southwark Politicians, Transport for London (TfL) and the Press on a cycle-tour to show how the London Boroughs, TfL and The Mayor’s Office are frequently making London’s streets more dangerous for cyclists and pedestrians with new developments.

The tour will include huge new regeneration projects at the Elephant & Castle and Camberwell, dangerous new junctions at Tower Bridge Road, Elephant and Southampton Way and a new housing development blocking permanently the Mayor’s Cycling Superhighway near the Oval.

Whilst most of these planning disasters are being created by the London Boroughs, some are being funded by the Mayor’s Office, whilst others are along the TfL routes.

Stop Killing Cyclists Co-founder Donnachadh McCarthy said,

“We hope by seeing in real life the cycle planning disasters being created in London right now by the London Boroughs’ planners and road-engineers, that those politicians responsible for over-seeing this lethal legacy will bring these disasters to an end.”

He added:

“In future all new London Developments need to have pedestrian and cyclist safety top of their agenda with safe segregated space for cyclists. We want an end to the killing and maiming on our streets. “

RSVP: [email protected] or 07947 884299

There is an adjacent Boris Bike Stand if people wish to hire a bike for the tour.

End.

Note to editors:

1. Stop Killing Cyclists is the direct action protest group set up after the recent spate of cyclist killings in London. They arranged the mass Die-In at TfL HQ where 1,500 cyclists lay down in the road in protest at lack of safety investment in London.

2. The London Boroughs are responsible for 95% of London’s roads, whereas the London Mayor and TfL control the remaining 5% i.e. the very large arterial routes.

Consultation Responses

Formal Objection to TfL Proposals for Abbey Street / Tower Bridge Road Junction

January 28, 2014 AndrewRH Leave a comment

Donnachadh McCarthy writes…

The proposal by Transport for London for Tower Bridge Road at Abbey Street.

A formal objection from the Stop Killing Cyclists group to Transport for London’s proposals for Abbey Street / Tower Bridge Road junction have now been submitted.

Additional objections from members very welcome - feel free to plagiarise as you see fit. The proposal from TfL; and contact details:

TfL Consultation: Further safety improvements for pedestrians and cyclists at the junction of Tower Bridge Road and Abbey Street
Map: CLICK HERE
Email: [email protected]
Survey: Tower Bridge Road / Abbey Street Consultation

Here is the letter that has been sent in…

“Dear TfL

We wish to formally object to the proposals for Abbey Street Junction pedestrian cyclist safety.

Whilst welcoming your intention to make the Abbey Street/Tower Mill Road junction safer, we believe the proposals made do not adequately address the safety of pedestrians and cyclists adequately.

Whilst we welcome the left-hand ban for trucks at two corners as due to how Southwark Council designed the adjacent two new developments, these turns are too dangerous for cyclists and traffic to mix on.

But banning cyclists from using 50% of the left-hand turns at the junction is not acceptable as there are no safety reasons for doing do. The reason given by TfL for the ban is not cyclist safety but to facilitate speed for traffic through the junction.

Indeed the proposal to re-route cyclists through the adjacent graveyard increases the danger as it creates a new unregulated traffic interchange as cyclists re-emerge from the graveyard to re-join the traffic on Tower Bridge Road.

It also creates a new danger for pedestrian danger as the cyclists emerge unexpectedly from the graveyard to cross the pavement to re-join the traffic. Cyclists and pedestrians do not need such unnecessary conflict to be designed into these proposals.

Your proposal fails Go Dutch standards abysmally and leaves this junction almost as dangerous as it was when the cycling tragedy occurred.

TfL need to tear up this proposal and start from scratch with the Dutch standard layout for junctions, to address pedestrian and cyclists’ safety as the priority not speed of traffic.

This approach makes junctions safer for both pedestrians and cyclists, without banning left hand turns.

Video: Junction design the Dutch - cycle friendly - way

Shortcut: http://youtu.be/FlApbxLz6pA

If the physical failure to design in safety by the two new building developments at the junction, means that this Dutch approach is not feasible, you should instead install dual function traffic light system, whereby the cyclists and pedestrians cross at the same time, rather than forcing cyclists to cross at same time as HGVs.

Such dual function pedestrian/cycling lights are already in place at a small number of junctions in the borough.

We strenuously also oppose Option 1 which prioritises traffic flow over pedestrian safety. It is not acceptable to have two sides of the junction to be uncontrolled for pedestrians.

The dual lane approach which fails to provide protected access to the advance stop lines on Tower Bridge Road should be deleted and replaced with a single lane approach with protected cycle-lane access to the advanced stop-lines.

Many thanks

pp Stop Killing Cyclists

Donnachadh McCarthy FRSA

Protests

Short film about TfL Mass Cyclist Die-In by Southeasy

January 26, 2014 AndrewRH Leave a comment

Donnachadh McCarthy writes…

Some local south-east London young people made this short film about that amazing moving evening when Stop Killing Cyclists cyclists staged our first powerful, moving protest in front of TfL’s HQ.

It is hard to believe with all that has been happening since with the creation of Stop Killing Cyclists etc that it was less than two months ago since we organised it.

Thanks to everybody who helped make it happen and pitched in with all the actions that have resulted from it since.

Yes We Can!

Donnachadh & Icame Isawi Steve

Further information about the TfL die-in is HERE.

Press Releases

Press Release - Stop Killing Cyclists condemns the Mayor of London’s Announced Funding for Borough Cycling safety as an insult to those killed on London’s streets

January 24, 2014 AndrewRH Leave a comment

Date: 24^th January 2014

Stop Killing Cyclists condemns the Mayor of London’s Announced Funding for Borough Cycling safety as an insult to those killed on London’s streets.

Boris Johnson made this announcement: “Mayor awards London boroughs additional £17.3m for cycling improvements”
(EDIT 09/04/14: It seems the page that linked to is no longer available, curiously…)

But the money was neither additional nor was it £17.3 million.

1/ As the funding was from the already announced Transport for London (TfL) cycling budget this money is NOT additional.

It means that the Mayor of London has failed to spend an extra penny on cycling since the recent tragedies or made a single extra junction safer.

2/ As the £17.3 million was a budget for three years, the actual spend this year will NOT be £17.3 million but will be £5.8 million.

As there are 32 boroughs, this is the equivalent of an insulting £181,000 per borough per year.

When you consider it costs up to £2 million to make a single major junction safe for pedestrians and cyclists, you realise that this is just cheap political Public Relations, at the expense of Londoners’ safety.

Transport for London currently spends about 1.2% of its annual £6,800 million budget on cycling, despite the fact that cyclists now undertake 4.3% of all journeys.

Donnachadh McCarthy, Co-founder Stop Killing Cyclists said,

“It’s time to end these political charades. Boris Johnson and the London Boroughs must provide real funding for pedestrian and cycling safety now. TfL needs to be investing £600 million per annum to make our streets safer for those aged eight to eighty to travel by bicycle safely.”

He added:

“It is a complete disgrace that over 10,000 London pedestrians and cyclists have had their lives destroyed by being either killed or seriously injured since 2008. During the same period only 3 people were killed on the entire national rail network. London’s roads are not fit for purpose“.

End.

Note to editors:

1. Stop Killing Cyclists is the direct action protest group set up after the recent spate of cyclist killings in London. They arranged the mass Die-In at TfL HQ where 1,500 cyclists lay down in the road in protest at lack of safety investment in London.

2. The press release from Transport for London was issued on 23 January 2014 and is available online HERE.

Press Releases

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

January 22, 2014 AndrewRH Leave a comment

Date: 22^nd 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.

SkC meeting with TfL CEO and Cycling Commissioner - Cyclists

lToR: Will Nickell (@WillNickell), Tom Kearney (@comadad), Donnachadh McCarthy (@DonnachadhMc), Steve Routley (@ReactiveOoze), Betty Sabla

SkC meeting with TfL CEO and Cycling Commissioner - outside TfL building 2

SkC meeting with TfL CEO and Cycling Commissioner - TfL building

Press Releases

Press Release - ACPO and Responsible Pavement Cycling

January 17, 2014 PATIENT GHOST Leave a comment

17^th January 2014

ACPO sends Minister’s Endorsement of Responsible Pavement Cycling by Vulnerable Cyclists if Roads are Too Dangerous, to all Local Police Forces.

The cycling campaign group Stop Killing Cyclists today welcomed ACPO (Association of Chief Police Officers) sending the newly re-issued Ministerial Guidance on Pavement Cycling by the Minister for Cycling Robert Goodwill, to all local police forces, following yesterday’s request by Stop Killing Cyclists that they do so.

ACPO’s National Policing Lead for Cycling Assistant Chief Constable Mark Milsom said: “We welcome the re-issued guidance from the Minister for Cycling in respect of cycling on the pavement and have re-circulated this to all local forces. “¹

The original Ministerial Guidance issued by Paul Boateng stated:

“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.

“Chief police officers, who are responsible for enforcement, acknowledge that many cyclists, particularly children and young people, are afraid to cycle on the road, sensitivity and careful use of police discretion is required.”

Stop Killing Cyclists believe this is exactly the right approach to take.

Cyclists should be fined for riding on the pavement if they are dangerous or in any way disrespectful to those on foot. Similarly, police should penalise red-light jumpers if they are irresponsible and put other road users at risk.

Yesterday we wrote to the President of ACPO, Sir Hugh Orde to support the re-issued ministerial guidance in how they apply the law on pavement cycling.

A Stop Killing Cyclists spokesperson today said:

“We are delighted that ACPO have acted so speedily in circulating the newly re-issued guidance on pavement cycling to all local police forces.

Implemented properly this advice will save the lives of vulnerable road-users at dangerous junctions, until such time as safe cycling infrastructure is installed.”

The Metropolitan Police Operation Safeway as currently operated is, in our opinion, endangering lives as it forces responsible cyclists off empty pavements and back into the path of lethal HGVs and busy traffic.

Stop Killing Cyclists Spokesperson Donnachadh McCarthy added :
“Fining vulnerable cyclists for cycling responsibly on the pavement at extremely dangerous junctions like Vauxhall Cross, is a bedroom tax on two-wheels as there is no safe alternative for them to cycle on.”

Ends.

Attachments: Letter from Minister for Cycling to Stop Killing Cyclists

Letter from Stop Killing Cyclist to ACPO President Sir Hugh Orde

Notes to editors:

Note ^{1 :} http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/road-and-rail-transport/10577958/Let-cyclists-go-on-pavements-if-roads-are-dangerous-minister-tells-police.html

Stop Killing Cyclists is the direct-action protest group set up after the recent spate of 6 cyclist killings in London.

They arranged the mass Die-In at TfL HQ where 1,500 cyclists lay down in the road in protest at lack of safety investment in London.

Operation Safeway penalised cyclists at a rate 35 times higher than their comparable mileage and numbers deserves when compared to motorised vehicles.

A recent action by the police found over 70% of trucks to be in a dangerous condition.

The Metropolitan Police should be targeting substantial resources to reducing the number of illegally dangerous trucks on our streets to below 1%, instead of penalising cyclists disproportionately.

The APCO media release is HERE.

Miscellaneous

We now have a YouTube channel!

January 16, 2014 AndrewRH Leave a comment

With thanks to Paul Brocklehurst we now have our very own YouTube channel - and a Google+ account too!

Please be sure to hit the subscribe button there (and ‘like’ our videos)!

The first two uploads are interviews with the co-founders of Stop Killing Cyclists…

ITV London with Donnachadh McCarthy:

NuSound Radio with Steve Routley:

Miscellaneous

Cycling Minister reaffirms guidance to police regarding pavement cycling

January 15, 2014 AndrewRH 3 Comments

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

Press Releases

Press Release - Minister Endorses Responsible Pavement Cycling by Vulnerable Cyclists if Roads are Too Dangerous

January 15, 2014 AndrewRH Leave a comment

15^th January 2014

Minister Endorses Responsible Pavement Cycling by Vulnerable Cyclists if Roads are Too Dangerous

The Cycling Campaign group Stop Killing Cyclists today welcomed the re-issuing of Ministerial Guidance on Pavement Cycling by the Minister for Cycling Robert Goodwill MP, in response to representations made by the campaign to the Minister for Transport.

The original Ministerial Guidance issued by Paul Boateng stated:

“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.

“Chief police officers, who are responsible for enforcement, acknowledge that many cyclists, particularly children and young people, are afraid to cycle on the road, sensitivity and careful use of police discretion is required.”

Stop Killing Cyclists believe this is exactly the right approach to take.

We have today called on the President of ACPO, Sir Hugh Orde to support the re-issued ministerial guidance in how they apply the law on pavement cycling.

The Metropolitan Police Operation Safeway as currently operated is in our opinion endangering lives as it forces responsible cyclists off empty pavements and back into the path of lethal HGVs.

Stop Killing Cyclists Spokesperson Donnachadh McCarthy stated

“Fining vulnerable cyclists for cycling responsibly on the pavement at extremely dangerous junctions like Vauxhall Cross, is a bedroom tax on two-wheels as there is no safe alternative for them to cycle on.”

We also object to its disproportionate targeting of cyclists, which has seen cyclists penalised at a rate 35 times higher than their comparable mileage and numbers deserves when compared to motorised vehicles.
A recent action by the police found over 70% of trucks to be in a dangerous condition.

The Metropolitan Police should be targeting substantial resources to reducing the number of illegally dangerous trucks on our streets to below 1%, instead of penalising cyclists disproportionately.

Stop Killing Cyclists is calling for an urgent meeting with the Metropolitan Police Commissioner to discuss policing of cyclists in the capital.

Ends.

Attachments:

Note to editors:

Stop Killing Cyclists is the direct action protest group set up after the recent spate of cyclist killings in London. They arranged the mass Die-In at TfL HQ where 1,500 cyclists lay down in the road in protest at lack of safety investment in London.

Protests

#TfLKillingTruth Internet Poster Blitz

January 8, 2014 AndrewRH 2 Comments

#TfLKillingTruth

At 8pm tonight, the 8th January 2014, please spread the “Subvertising” posters around the Internet by your favourite means - Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Blogs, …

See our original blog about this campaign by clicking HERE
See a collage of various posters and subvertisements by clicking HERE
See a press release by clicking HERE (pdf)

Below are some cut & paste texts that you can use to spread the message far and wide; they include the hashtags used by Twitter and Facebook to group things: #TflKillingTruth and #StopKillingCyclists — you can also use #StopTheKilling if a poster is not specifically cycling related.

Thank you to all the volunteers who took the time to create the subvertisements… Castel Burke, Charlotte Cox, Tom Kearney, Donnachadh McCarthy, Maggie Mizzi.

Instructions:

Right-click on the image to the left and save it to your computer
Copy and paste the tweet-friendly text on the right into Twitter (or Facebook etc)
Add in the image that you saved to your computer
Repeat!

Image to download	Tweet to send, or Facebook etc posting
	#TfLKillingTruth Two London buses a day are involved in crashes with cyclists and pedestrians http://goo.gl/J40d9x
	#TfLKillingTruth 1 person a day is killed or seriously injured by a TfL bus #StopTheKilling http://goo.gl/J40d9x
	#TfLKillingTruth Don’t wait for more to die, Boris @MayorOfLondon #StopKillingCyclists http://goo.gl/J40d9x
	#TfLKillingTruth 2000+ killed or serioiusly injuried by TfL buses while Boris @MayorOfLondon http://goo.gl/J40d9x
	#TfLKillingTruth #StopTheKilling #StopKillingCyclists http://goo.gl/J40d9x
	#TfLKillingTruth #StopTheKilling #StopKillingCyclists http://goo.gl/J40d9x
	#TfLKillingTruth #StopTheKilling #StopKillingCyclists http://goo.gl/J40d9x
	#TfLKillingTruth #StopTheKilling #StopKillingCyclists http://goo.gl/J40d9x
	#TfLKillingTruth #StopTheKilling #StopKillingCyclists http://goo.gl/J40d9x
	#TfLKillingTruth This HGV is lethal #StopTheKilling #StopKillingCyclists http://goo.gl/J40d9x
	#TfLKillingTruth Why are TfL buses hitting vulnerable road users so often #StopTheKilling http://goo.gl/J40d9x
	#TfLKillingTruth Real lanes not painted killing lanes #StopKillingCyclists #StopTheKilling http://goo.gl/J40d9x
	#TfLKillingTruth #StopTheKilling #StopKillingCyclists http://goo.gl/J40d9x
	#TfLKillingTruth #StopTheKilling #StopKillingCyclists http://goo.gl/J40d9x
	#TfLKillingTruth #StopTheKilling #StopKillingCyclists http://goo.gl/J40d9x
	#TfLKillingTruth #StopTheKilling #StopKillingCyclists http://goo.gl/J40d9x
	#TfLKillingTruth #StopTheKilling #StopKillingCyclists http://goo.gl/J40d9x
	#TfLKillingTruth #StopTheKilling #StopKillingCyclists http://goo.gl/J40d9x