Cyclists: sign up for training, London Councils urges

Cyclists should sign up for safety training, to help give them the skills and confidence to ride in the capital, London Councils said today.

Responding to The Times campaign to improve the safety of cyclists across the country, London Councils – the organisation which represents the 32 London boroughs and the City of London – today urged cyclists to take up free or subsidised training on offer in the capital.

Transport for London (TfL) has supported the London boroughs in providing cycle training to people who live, work or study in their borough.

Cycle training is delivered by accredited instructors and there is a range of courses on offer depending upon a person’s age and ability. The training includes tips on how to deal with traffic, how best to position yourself on the road and how to be visible to drivers. Instructors can also offer advice on the best cycling routes for everyday journeys.

In 2010-2011 8,350 people received the training, which was a 42 per cent increase on 2009/2010.

However, London Councils wants more people to take up the opportunity of free or subsidised tuition to try and reduce the number of cyclist casualties on London’s roads.

Several London boroughs, including Croydon, Hammersmith and Fulham, Hackney, Lambeth and the City of London also offer cyclist awareness training for heavy goods vehicles drivers, which encourages HGV drivers to empathize with cyclists by giving them the experience of riding a bike on the road.

Councillor Catherine West, Chair of London Councils’ Transport and Environment Committee said: “The number of cyclists killed or seriously injured on London’s roads has gone down by 17 per cent in the last decade.  But sixteen cyclists died on London’s roads in 2011 and two more have died since the start of this year.

“I welcome today’s announcement of a safety review of some of the most dangerous junctions in London, aimed at making roads more cycle friendly.  We are keen to educate drivers - and in particular lorry operators - to think about cyclists’ safety. We urge cyclists to take up training that is on offer for them from London’s boroughs and Transport for London.”

Notes to editors:

• The number of cyclists on London’s main roads has increased by 150 per cent over the past decade (between 2000 to 2010).
• In 2011 there were 16 cycling fatalities in London, 9 of which involved heavy goods vehicles or tipper trucks. Two cyclists have died since the start of this year (2012).
• Transport for London estimates that there are now half a million trips made by bicycle in London every day.
• The number of pedal cyclists killed or seriously injured (KSI) on London’s roads has reduced by 17% in the last decade.
• While cycling accounts for approximately 2% of all journey stages in London, 17% of all collisions in London in 2010 resulted in injury to pedal cyclists, who in turn represented 14% of all casualties on London’s roads.
• The majority of London boroughs offer free cycling tuition to adults and children and others offer heavily subsidised training.

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