With London's cycle revolution gaining pace and thousands of potential cyclists set to join you on the streets of the capital; I am writing to draw your attention to plans that the Mayor, in his capacity as Chairman of Transport for London, has drawn up to ensure the continued safety of you and your fellow cyclists.

Download the draft Cycle Safety Action Plan (927KB)

I hope you will be able to spare some time to read through what TFL believe is a further important step in their plan to make taking to two wheels in the capital as safe as possible.

The new plan highlights the need for action in London by:

• Promoting the cycling safety message to all road users.
• Delivering new, safe cycle routes and facilities - such as the new Cycle Superhighways routes and the central London Cycle Hire scheme with its 6,000 bikes.
• Providing confidence boosting training for cyclists, and other road users - £3 million has been invested in cycle training this year.
• Encouraging HGV operators in London to take cycling safety seriously - including engaging with 7,000 London companies and encouraging them to join TfL's Freight Operators Recognition Scheme.
• Working with over 300 freight companies which operate construction vehicles - they will be encouraged to install side-bars or other safety devices on HGVs which are currently exempt.
• Calling for improved HGV safety - by reviewing the current exemption for some construction vehicles to have side-bars and requiring cycle safety awareness as a mandatory part of HGV drivers 'Certificate of Professional Competence' (CPC) periodic training requirement.
• Championing the need to allow trials of innovative safety measures - such as Trixi mirrors in London to examine their potential benefits for cycling safety.
• Creating a Cycle Safety Working Group of key road user and cycling organisations.
• Arranging 'Exchanging Places' HGV/Cycle events similar to those we organised to mark the launch of this plan - with more to follow in November and coming months - giving London's cyclists the opportunity to learn about riding safely near HGVs.
• Using the latest research into collisions involving cyclists - to ensure the efforts of TfL and other partners are focused where they will make greatest difference.

In June 2006, car maker Citroen admitted that the average speed of a car in London during rush-hour (which is nearly all the time in London!) is just 7mph and that motorists waste up to half of their commute time going nowhere, stuck in jams. The company commissioned some 'gridlock' research to promote a car designed for such conditions, a car that shuts off its engine when stuck in jams.

Motorists may be grinding to a halt but the average cyclist can travel at 12-15mph, twice the speed of a car in rush-hour London.  While cycle commuters sail past motorists stuck in rush-hour traffic, at least those motorists stuck in Citroen cars equipped with 'Stop & Start' technology won't be idling their engines contributing needlessly to climate change. Citroen said this technology has "environmental benefits" but a company statement went on to admit that congestion was now a daily reality for motorists and the best they can do is prevent exhaust emissions and spend up to half of their commute standing still.

To date, most car companies have promoted their wares by advertising the latest models driving on pristine Scottish roads with no other cars in sight. When congestion rears its ugly head the car companies stress how comfortable their cars are when an enforced wait is likely. And such waits are likely to increase. Although Ken Livingston’s Congestion Charge may have gone some way to reducing the time Londoners are stationary in their cars, the sheer weight of traffic continues to cripple commuter progress, said Citroen. During an average one-hour commute a driver in central London will cover just 6.8 miles during rush-hour. In Cardiff, the average standstill time for a motorist is a whopping 30 minutes, half of the one-hour commute time.

Citroen found that drivers in Birmingham, Manchester and Norwich can expect to be at a standstill for over 20 minutes, and even in the least congested city, Edinburgh, almost 18 minutes were spent stationary. Andrew Burns, Edinburgh's transport leader warned in February that a 20-minute car journey in the city could take an hour by 2026. The same distance journey by bike will take the same time as today, or if better infrastructure was put in place, cycle journey times could actually decrease.

In November 2005, the then Transport Secretary, Alistair Darling, announced plans to explore potential congestion charging zones in Durham, the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Tyne and Wear, Shrewsbury, Cambridgeshire and Bristol. He said congestion remains one of the biggest threats to economic expansion in the next 10-15 years.

“It is bad for business, frustrates motorists and hurts local economies. Time, then, to get cycling. And the time has never been better. The front cover of The Independent on 6th June 2006 was headlined 'Revolution! Britain embraces the bicycle as figures show that trips have risen 50% in just five years."

The newspaper reported that the latest usage stats from Andy Cope of Sustrans says there has been a 15 per cent increase in journeys on the National Cycle Network, a rise to 232 million journeys. In the previous year the rise was 11 percent.

Cycling to work and for errands is safe, practical and fun if you do it right. But there is much more to driving a bicycle than balance and steering. Many of the "bike safety" things we were taught as kids are wrong and some are dangerous.
A common misconception about cycling is the extent and source of danger. Most people think that the greatest danger is getting run down by cars passing from behind. Cars are fast and noisy and we cannot see them coming, so the fear is natural. But it is wrong. These accidents represent less than one-half of one percent of urban, daylight accidents to cyclists. (In rural areas, the ratio is slightly higher. Also, unlighted cyclists and drunk drivers make such accidents much more common at night.)
About 90 percent of car-bike collisions involve turning and crossing traffic. (Just like car crashes.) Most of the rest are caused by wrong way riders or by swerving in front of traffic. The danger is right in front of you where you can see and avoid it if you are watching. Below are ten tips to make your cycling safer, more useful and more fun.

1. Avoid Riding On Sidewalks. Many people think that the sidewalk is a safe place to ride. However, accident studies show that riding on sidewalks has about twice the accident risk as proper cycling on the road. Sidewalk cyclists are in danger at every road crossing and even driveways because motorists do not look for fast traffic on the sidewalk. Also, mixing pedestrians and cyclists is dangerous to both. A bicycle “sidepath” next to a road is just about as dangerous as a sidewalk. This is why cyclists are often required to walk bikes across intersections. (Note the sign in the photo to the right.) You are much safer in the street, following the rules of the road for drivers of vehicles.

2. Ride On The Right With Other Traffic. Some people were taught to ride on the wrong side of the road so they can “see traffic coming”. This is dangerous and it is illegal in all 50 states. Pedestrians walk facing traffic so they can sidestep off the road, if necessary. But you cannot sidestep on a bike. The accident rate for wrong-way cyclists is 3.6 times as high as for cycling the "right" way. Other drivers look for traffic coming from the usual direction. They usually are not looking for wrong way traffic.

3. Be Visible! Other drivers will not hit you IF they can see you. Bright clothes make you easier to spot in the daytime but they are useless at night. Riding without lights in the dark is a very dangerous mistake. About thirty percent of cycling crashes occur at night although only about four percent of cycling is done then. The reflectors that come with new bikes are grossly inadequate for nighttime safety. Always use a headlight and taillight when you ride in the dark. If you are caught by darkness without lights don't try to sneak home on the sidewalk. Walk your bike home or call for a ride. The photo at right shows the author's machine with two headlights. Notice how little of the bike is visible other than the headlights.

4. Follow The Rules Of The Road. Everyone following the same “rules of the road” allows safe and efficient travel for all. This is the principle behind the Effective Cycling** program. Cyclists who make up their own rules are in great danger.

5. Learn Proper Lane Position. Beginners usually “hug the curb” and then wonder why cars pass so close. Experienced cyclists let traffic pass when they can but they “take the lane” when needed for safety. If cars are passing you too close, move a bit left to signal to passing drivers that they must use another lane to pass. If you collect a string of cars behind you, try to find a safe way to let them pass. It takes practice to learn to ride effectively in traffic. The right tire track of the right lane is often a good place to ride on a narrow road. (See the photo at right.)
6. Be Predictable. Ride a good, straight “line”, signal turns and generally look like you know what you are doing. How can you expect other drivers to avoid you if they cannot tell where you are going?

7. Be Courteous. Act like an adult and share the road with other drivers. If others act like jerks, keep your temper -- don't descend to their level. Carry a "jerk book" to write down license number and description of any dangerous drivers you see.

8. Protect Yourself. A helmet will not prevent a bike crash but it is good, cheap insurance that may allow you to walk away from one. Make sure your helmet fits and is adjusted properly. Cycling gloves help prevent “handlebar palsy” and protect hands from abrasion in a fall.

9. Keep your Machine In Safe Condition. Give your bike an occasional "tune up". Before hopping on your bike, give it a “quick check”. Make sure that wheels are tight; squeeze brakes hard to see that they work and that cables are not about to snap.

10. Learn From Experienced Cyclists. Experience can be a harsh teacher and it is a slow one. (It takes at least 10,000 miles of cycling in traffic to become confident if you try to learn on your own.) Why make all the beginners' mistakes yourself when you can learn from others? Join a good cycling club, take a “Bike Ed” class and read books such as John Forester's Effective Cycling** or John Allen's booklet Street Smarts.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, every year hundreds of thousands persons suffer bicycle-related injuries serious enough to require hospital emergency room treatment. Here are some typical cases of bicycle accidents:

"A bicycle rider applied her hand brakes and lost control of her bicycle. She went down an embankment and fractured her shoulder."

"As a cyclist was riding his bicycle downhill, the front wheel of his bike suddenly became loose and twisted. The bicycle rider lost control, fracturing his knee."

"A cyclist was riding a bike without a chain guard when his foot caught between the pedal and chain. He fell, suffering a concussion and skull fracture."

"A bicyclist was riding her bike alongside a friend's. As her friend moved his bicycle to the right, the two front wheels collided, causing the first cyclist to fall. She suffered a concussion and fractured a wrist."

Cycling accidents – major patterns

The below examples illustrate some major accident patterns associated with bicycles. They are:

• Collision with a car or another bicycle.
• Loss of Control -- This occurs because of a number of factors, including: difficulty in braking; riding too large a bike; riding too fast; riding double; stunting; striking a rut, bump, or obstacle; and riding on slippery surfaces.
• Mechanical and Structural Problems -- These include brake failure; wobbling or disengagement of the wheel or steering mechanism; difficulty in shifting gears; chain slippage; pedals falling off; or spoke breakage.
• Entanglement of a person's feet, hands, or clothing in the bicycle.
• Foot slippage from pedal.

Use your lights.
Equip your bicycle with a headlight, a taillight and reflectors. Wear a Safe Turn indicator on your hand. The lights will increase your visibility even during the day.

Watch your speed.
Adjust your riding speed, slow down when appropriate. Do not ride too fast. If you cannot make eye contact with the driver, slow down so much that you are able to completely stop if you have to.

Signal your turns.
Before turning or changing traffic lanes, always signal your turn by hand. Wear Safe Turn indicator on your hand so the car drivers see your turn signal.

Wear light-colored or reflective clothing.
Light-colored or reflective clothing increases your visibility on the road.

Keep your distance from the parked cars.
Avoid riding too close to the parked cars to avoid a car door being opened in front of you. Ride far enough from the cars to make sure you will not run into any door that is opened unexpectedly.

Wear a helmet.
Bicycle helmets prevented certain types of head injuries resulting from a number of bicycle accidents. Make sure your helmet is approved for bicycle use; ask at your local bicycle shop if not sure.

Do not ride through a crosswalk (pedestrian crossing).
Car drivers are not expecting bikes in the crosswalk. A car hitting a cyclist on a crosswalk is one of the common bicycle accidents. If you cross an intersection via a crosswalk, walk your bicycle through there.

Never ride against the traffic.
Ride with traffic, in the same direction. Never ride against the traffic, even for a short period of time. Head collisions with cars are among the most dangerous bicycle accidents.

Do not stop in the car driver's blind spot.
Never stop in the car driver's blind spot. When you stop at the red lights, in heavy traffic etc., always make sure the car drivers next to you are aware of your presence on the road.