The BBC reports the very welcome news that the Mayor has ordered a safety review of HGVs in London. Heavy vehicles are responsible for a disproportionate number of cyclist deaths and campaigners have argued for reform of road layouts and vehicle design that should include protection bars or “side skirts” that prevent cyclists from being pulled under a vehicle during a collision.
HGVs are causing a disproportionate number of cyclist deaths
The review will “examine the design, operation and driving of skip lorries, tipper trucks and cement mixers in the city.” The BBC also reports that “Transport for London (TfL) has also launched a review of all major schemes planned on TfL’s roads and all junctions on the cycle superhighways.”
Pressure has been mounting on authorities in London (including on this site a few days ago) and it has been clear for days that they have begun to see sense. Johnson is likely to have one eye on next year’s elections of course and will not want to be branded the Mayor who oversaw a spate of deaths on the roads.
However the battle is not over yet. It is excellent news that this review and that of the Bow roundabout have been ordered but TfL has been developing a reputation for identifying problems that it does not go on to fix.
Road safety campaigners will be looking to have the maximum possible input into these reviews to ensure that they are not overly influenced by industry lobbyists. The lesson of the last few weeks is that campaigning can move mountains, but if the pressure is let up the momentum could be lost.
Cyclists in the city has an excellent post on this.
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