Follow-up inquiry on cycling safety announced
19 November 2013
The Transport Committee announces a follow-up inquiry on cycling safety and holds an oral evidence session on Monday 2 December 2013.
Chair's comments
Louise Ellman MP, Chair of the Transport Committee, has said:
"Six cyclists have been killed in London in the last two weeks: 14 have been killed so far this year, equalling the number killed in the whole of 2012. These are individual tragedies for the families involved, but they also draw attention to continuing concerns about the safety of cyclists on our roads.
Many of these casualties involve large vehicles, especially HGVs, and there is now debate about whether they should be banned from city centres at peak times. This will have consequences for businesses which need to be assessed.
There is also debate about the behaviour of drivers and cyclists and whether more can be done to promote compliance with the law. Concerns have also been expressed about whether vehicle and road infrastructure could be changed to protect cyclists and whether new developments, such as London's cycle superhighways, are safe. We would like to stimulate debate on all of these matters."
Written submissions
The Committee would like to hear views on:
- Whether cycling is safe, particularly in towns and cities.
- What central and local Government could do to improve cycling safety. Ideas could include better training and advice for drivers and cyclists, better enforcement of the law applying to drivers and cyclists, and better vehicle and road infrastructure.
- Whether it would be desirable and feasible to segregate cyclists from other road users, including, for example, by prohibiting HGVs from entering city centres at peak hours.
Other ideas for improving cycling safety would also be welcomed.
Views can be sent to us via Twitter @CommonsTrans using #cyclesafe.
Alternatively, we will accept written submissions until Tuesday 26 November 2013. These must be submitted via the Transport Committee website.
Background
The Transport Committee last considered cycling safety as part of its road safety inquiry in 2012.
The Committee recommended that:
- The Government should consider how to encourage greater adoption of sensors and mirrors by HGVs.
- DfT should show how its efforts to work in partnership with departments such as DCLG and local authorities have been effective in encouraging the provision of cycle infrastructure and outline which problems in securing this joint-working have yet to be overcome.
- DfT should issue a formal response to each of the eight points in the Times cycling safety manifesto.
The Committee also concluded that there was much work still to be done if the Government wanted to demonstrate that it was showing leadership in improving cycling safety.
This short inquiry will follow up these conclusions and recommendations from the Committee's 2012 report.