Report Raises Questions About London's Road Safety

The number of Londoners being killed or seriously injured in road accidents rose by eight per cent in 2012, new figures have confirmed.

Transport for London (TfL) has released a report that suggests more than 3,000 people were involved in serious incidents over the course of the year. Members of the TfL board will assess and discuss the statistics during a meeting today (November 6th).

Although the number of fatalities fell from 159 in 2011 to 134 in 2012, more road users suffered significant injuries in 2012.

A sizeable percentage of these deaths were said to be "vulnerable road users", including pedestrians, motorbike riders and cyclists.

TfL has published a Road Safety Action Plan, which is aimed at reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on the capital's roads by 40 per cent by 2020.

Darren Johnson, a Green member of the London Assembly, believes the report highlights a "worrying gap between mayoral rhetoric which plays down the dangers on our roads and the reality of more pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists being killed or seriously injured".

Mayor Boris Johnson is keen to see more Londoners using bicycles to travel around the city, but safety issues cause real concern for London’s cycling community.

TfL has launched a number of initiatives in recent months to promote safer bike use including promoting greater use of lighting and reflectors.

STC chief superintendent Sultan Taylor said it is particularly important that cyclists remain safe now that the evenings are darker.

If you’ve been injured in a road traffic accident whilst cycling, our No Win No Fee solicitors could help you claim compensation. See our Cycling Accident Compensation page for more information.

Expert Opinion

It is very worrying to see this increase emerge at a time when cycling safety is heavily in the spotlight and initiatives are in place across the capital to encourage use of bicycles. <br/> <br/>"I have worked with a number of clients that have serious long-term injuries as a result of collisions and have seen in particular the major consequences that such incidents can have on cyclists. <br/> <br/>"Serious consideration needs to be given to how the number of people injured or killed across the UK can be reduced, including what can be done to reduce the risks faced by cyclists. Later in November national road safety charity Brake, along with other groups concerned with road safety, will be campaigning for Road Safety Week and this report comes at just the right time to get these issues into the minds of our policy makers." Neil Whiteley - Partner