Proposals Will Save Lives And Cut Congestion

By Helen MacGregor

Serious injury experts at Irwin Mitchell have praised the response of a government inquiry that calls for the transformation of Britain’s streets to make them safer for cyclists.

Yesterday (24 April) a House of Commons inquiry published the Get Britain Cycling report, which made 18 recommendations calling on the Government to make Britain's streets safer and more inviting for cyclists.

It is claimed the proposals would save lives, improve public health, cut congestion and pollution as well as save millions of pounds spent treating preventable disease.

The report’s recommendations include:
• Create an annual cycling budget equivalent to £10 per head of population – an increase on the current spend of less than £2 per person.
• Fund cycling through health, education, sport and business budgets as well as transport budgets - recognising the contribution cycling makes to other sectors.
• Appoint a national Cycling Champion.
• Create a cross-departmental Cycling Action Plan with annual progress reports.
• Create a statutory requirement for all new housing, business and transport developments to consider the needs of cyclists and pedestrians during the planning stage.
• Extend 20mph zones in towns and consider 40mph limits on many rural lanes.
• Create cycle routes running alongside trunk road and motorway corridors.
• Limit the use of HGVs on busy urban streets at peak hours.
• Provide cycle training at all primary and secondary schools.
• Increase the proportion of journeys made by bike from 2% in 2011 to 10% in 2025 and 25% by 2050.

Colin Ettinger is a serious injury expert at Irwin Mitchell’s London office who specialises in helping road traffic collision victims. He said: “Time after time we are contacted by people whose lives have been turned upside down by road traffic crashes and no amount of money can bring a loved one back or makes up for the devastating injuries they incurred.

“Our clients and their families are determined to make sure issues cyclists face on the road are highlighted to try and avoid anyone else going through similar pain in future.”

“It is only when the infrastructure and legislation is put in place to protect vulnerable cyclists and to help other road users avoid them that we will see numbers start to fall.

“We welcome the inquiry into making Britain’s streets safer for cyclists and eagerly await the government’s response in the hope new laws will be enforced to protect and encourage cyclists.”

Read more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise relating to cycling accidents.