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Press Releases

Press Release - London Boroughs’ Wall of Death

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The London Boroughs’ Wall of Death!

 

  • The release of detailed research of the London Boroughs failure to install safe segregated cycle lanes – Wed April 2nd.
  • Protest to mark the estimated the 54 cycling deaths and staggering estimated 19,600 other victims who have died in London due to motorised traffic since the last local elections.

When: Wednesday, April 2nd, 1-2pm

Where: Westminster City Hall, Victoria Street, London

What: Next Wednesday Stop Killing Cyclists will release the shocking report by Will Nickell into the failure by almost all 32 London Boroughs to install a single meter of segregated cycle lanes, over the last four years since the last local borough elections.

To mark the release of this research we are staging a lunchtime protest outside Westminster City Hall, which is one of the worst boroughs for investment in cycling.

The London Boroughs Wall of Death will be unrolled to mark all 54 cycling deaths in the city since the last local elections, plus the estimated 19,000 other deaths associated with London’s traffic-violence.

The London Boroughs control 95% of London’s roads. The Mayor of London controls only 5% - the largest arterial routes.

Among the research results released on Wednesday will be:

  • How many Boroughs have ZERO segregated cycle lanes?
  • How many Boroughs have installed ZERO segregated cycle lanes since the last local elections?
  • How many Boroughs plan to spend ZERO on segregated cycle-lanes in the coming year following the May 2014 elections?
  • How many Boroughs have designated 25% or less of their roads to be safer 20mph zones?
  • What tiny percentage of the London Boroughs total road-network has segregated cycle lanes?
  • Which Boroughs have the most kilometres of segregated cycle lanes installed?
  • Which were the ONLY three boroughs to actually install any segregated cycle lanes over last four years?

The London Boroughs Wall of Death will individually mark all of the 54 cyclists killed since the last elections in the London Boroughs, and it will also mark the following estimated death, injury and fatal-disease toll in the London Boroughs over the 4 years since the last elections:

272 Pedestrians killed (note 1)
2,224 Cyclists seriously injured.
3,749 Pedestrians seriously injured
11,260 Estimated deaths from physical unfitness due to lack of cycle-infrastructure (note 3)
13,400 Estimated deaths from traffic pollution (note 2)
32,600 Pedestrians and cyclists killed or injured (note 4)

Will Nickell – author of the London Boroughs Segregated Cycle Lanes Report for Stop Killing Cyclists said:

“This research for the first time exposes the lethal failure by the vast majority of London’s Boroughs to invest in Go-Dutch standard segregated safe-cycle lanes, for London’s kids and cyclists over the last four years”.

He added:

“Boroughs must urgently follow Amsterdam into the 21st century and invest a minimum of 10% of their transport budget in Dutch standard cycle lanes and include space-for-cycling in all new developments and transport infrastructure.”

Donnachadh McCarthy , Co-organiser Stop Killing Cyclists said,

“Every one of the 54 cyclists killed on London’s roads over the last four years is a tragedy, but it is also important to note the literally thousands of other deaths from the London Borough’s failure to provide a safe unpolluted cycling and walking environment.”

He added,

“Londoners should ask every candidate in May’s local and European elections if they will support 10% of their transport budget to be spent on segregated cycle-lanes”.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

Wills contact number for media queries only: 07523 094 819

Facebook Event Page: The London Boroughs Wall of Death
https://www.facebook.com/events/296107700543184/

The London boroughs' Wall of Death (cropped)
Click picture to see full-size version.

Picture: http://stopthekilling.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/The-London-boroughs-Wall-of-Death-cropped.jpg

Website: http://StopKillingCyclists.org

Direct Action protest details: http://StopTheKilling.org.uk/WallOfDeath

1. TfL reported 204 pedestrian killings between 2010-12. We have extrapolated that for the fourth year, giving an estimated total of 272.

2. IOM report 2010 reported over 4,200 extra deaths per year in London from particulate pollution. London Mayor estimates that traffic pollution contributes 80% of London’s particulate pollution.
http://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/Health_Study_%20Report.pdf

3. Less than 20% of Londoners now achieve recommended level of physical activity. If you take Denmark and Netherlands as two cycle-friendly countries otherwise similar to the UK, the actives are 70-80%. Assuming, then, that 75% of the population in London were to reach the desired activity level, 2,815 fewer people would die per year, or 11,260 over 4 years (figures from Public Health England)

4. Based on actual reported casualty statistics TfL 2010-12 – extrapolated for final year.

5. 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.

Press Releases

Launch Announcement: National Funeral for the Unknown Victim of Traffic Violence

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When: Saturday November 15th, 2014

Where: Oxford Street, London

What:

Grassroots activists from Stop Killing Cyclists and Stop The Killing are organising the first ever massive, peaceful, dignified National Funeral for the Unknown Victim of Traffic Violence, to be held along Oxford Street to Marble Arch, to symbolically mark all those who have lost their lives, or had them destroyed on Britain’s roads from:

  • Traffic Violence
  • Air-pollution
  • Obesity, through fear of walking or cycling
  • Worldwide effects of climate change.

The direct action is timed to fall on the weekend of the World Day Of Remembrance For Road Traffic Victims.

Launch video for the National Funeral on YouTube: http://goo.gl/v3KRtz
Facebook Event page: http://goo.gl/DX2l13
Stop Killing Cyclists website: www.StopKillingCyclists.org
Stop The Killing website: www.StopTheKilling.org.uk

Stop The Killing Co-Founder Steve Routley said:

“We need to end the culture of acceptance that surrounds traffic violence and bring together road users of all kinds from across the country to demand real change in the way roads are perceived as public spaces.”

Stop The Killing Co-Founder Donnachadh McCarthy also said:

“The staggering number of deaths and injuries resulting from motorised traffic over the last decade stands at 2,400,000 people. This horrifically equates to the combined populations of Birmingham, Glasgow, Manchester and Cardiff! This National Funeral of the Unknown Victim of Traffic Violence is a clarion call to people across the UK to unite to bring this carnage and environmental destruction to an urgent end.”

The National Funeral Protest will present 10 Demands calling for urgent action from local and national government.

RSVP: [email protected] or 07947 884299

End.

 

Notes for 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 the lack of safety investment in London.

2. Stop The Killing is the associated group of pedestrian, cycling and environmental grassroot activists who want to eliminate traffic violence.

3. Some of the statistics which the National Funeral wishes to highlight:-

Over the last decade (2003-12) the following “Pyramid of Death” resulted from traffic violence:

UK Cyclists Killed: 1,233 (DoT)
UK Pedestrians Killed: 5,787 (DoT)
UK Motorists Killed: 19,293 (DoT)
UK Patients Killed by Transport Pollution: 50,000 (NHS)
UK residents killed through physical inactivity due to lack of cycling infrastructure (estimated): 400,000 (Prof. Garfield)
Ten Year Total Killings: 476,313
Thus the number of people whose deaths can be attributed to traffic violence over the last decade is the equivalent of the population of Manchester.

Global Deaths due to Climate Crisis (ten years): 4,000,000 (UN)
Total UK Cyclists killed seriously injured or injured: 198,000
Total UK Pedestrians killed, seriously injured or injured: 298,300
Total UK Motorists killed, seriously injured or injured: 1,913,502
Total killed, seriously injured or injured on UK Roads over ten years: 2, 409,802.
This is the equivalent of the entire populations of Birmingham (1.1 million), Glasgow (0.6), Cardiff (0.3) and Manchester (0.5) combined.

4. The National Funeral protest’s 10 Demands are:

  1. Stop the Killing of Children – set up national, multi-billion pound programme to convert residential communities across Britain into living-street Home Zones to abolish dangerous rat-runs.
  2. Stop the Killing of Pedestrians – establish a national programme to fund pedestrianisation of our city and town centres, including the nation’s high-street, Oxford Street.
  3. Stop the Killing of Pensioners from excessive speed - introduce and enforce speed limit of 20 mph on all urban roads, 40 mph on rural roads/lanes and 60 mph on all other trunk roads.
  4. Stop the Killing of Cyclists - invest £15 billion in a National Segregated Cycle Network over the next 5 years.
  5. Stop the Killing by HGVs - ban trucks with blind spots by making safety equipment mandatory and strictly enforce current truck-safety regulations, to reduce levels of illegally dangerous trucks down from estimated 30% to less than 1%.
  6. Stop the Killing without liability - introduce a presumed civil liability law on behalf of vehicular traffic when they kill or seriously injure vulnerable road-users, where there is no evidence blaming the victim.
  7. Stop the Killing from Lung, Heart and other Diseases caused by vehicular pollutants - make it mandatory for particulate filters that meet latest EU emission standards to be fitted to all existing buses, lorries and taxis.
  8. Stop the Killing at Junctions - introduce pedestrian crossing times long enough for elderly disabled to cross. Legalise filtered junction crossings by cyclists with strict legal priority for pedestrians and carry out urgent programme of physically protected left-hand turns for cyclists.
  9. Stop the Killing from Climate Crisis caused by CO2 emissions - all transport fuels to be from environmentally-sustainable, renewable sources within 10 years.
  10. Focus on Life! Transport governance must make safety and quality of life the top priority. Reform all council transport departments, the Department of Transport and Transport for London into Cycling, Walking and Transport Departments with formal pedestrian and cyclist representation.
Press Releases

Vigil Protest to Mark 1st London Cycling Death of 2014

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When: 6-6.30 pm Tuesday 11th February.

Where: Redbridge Town Hall, 128-142 High Road, Ilford, IG1 1DD

Feeder Ride: Leaves from front of Kings Cross Station at 4.30pm

Trains from Central London: Liverpool Street Station

Please bring candles and placards.


What: A peaceful candlelit vigil to mark the first tragic killing of a cyclist in 2014.

Redbridge Council has so far refused to introduce a borough-wide 20mph speed limit. Traffic at 20mph kills up to 42% less pedestrians and cyclists than at 30 mph.

Redbridge Council has set derisory targets of 1.5% of journeys to be undertaken by bike by 2015 and 4% by 2025. In comparison many modern European cities have already achieved between 20 to 50% of journeys undertaken by bike. Currently only 1.2% of journeys in the borough are taken by bike.


Stop Killing Cyclists Co-founder Donnachadh McCarthy said “Redbridge Council needs to immediately protect its pedestrians and cyclists by introducing a safe, borough wide 20mph zone and to invest with the Mayor in London in a comprehensive borough wide segregated cycle network within 5 years.“

He added: “Last year 93 people’s lives were destroyed with 4 killed and 89 seriously injured on Redbridge’s streets, with hundreds more dying of transport pollution associated lung and heart diseases, and countless more from obesity related illnesses from lack of exercise due to fear of cycling. We want an end to the killing and maiming on Redbridge’s streets. “

RSVP: [email protected] or 07947 884299

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 the 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 large arterial routes.

Events, Press Releases

Press Release: Cycle Planning Disasters Tour

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SkC Press Release

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.

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

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SkC Press Release

Date: 24th 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

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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.

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

Press Release - ACPO and Responsible Pavement Cycling

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SkC Press Release


17th 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.

 

Press Releases

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

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SkC Press Release15th 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.

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.

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.