Council talks to Parliament on improving cycling safety

Brighton & Hove City Council’s lead member for transport Cllr Ian Davey has given evidence to Parliament on the issue of cycling safety.

See the session of the transport select committee here

Cllr Davey was invited to the committee this afternoon (February 10 2014) to talk about cycling infrastructure, making cycling more attractive and reducing accidents.

The committee had asked on Twitter for examples of good practice and received much feedback praising the city.

Other witnesses to the committee included Olympic gold-medallist Chris Boardman MBE from British Cycling, plus the AA, national cycling charity CTC and representatives from other councils.

The city council has recently introduced a number of measures intended to improve cycle safety.  These have included special segregated lanes along key routes like Old Shoreham Road and Lewes Road.  These saw increases in cycle trips of 30 per cent and 14 per cent respectively, shortly after they opened.

Other changes improving cycle safety have included widespread 20mph speed limits and radical changes to the hazardous junction at Seven Dials.  Cycle-friendly improvements to the Vogue Gyratory roundabout outside Lewes Road Sainsbury’s are also planned.

Speaking after the meeting Cllr Davey said the UK needs more funding to improve road design, better enforcement of traffic rules to protect riders and a national campaign for more respect between road users.

He said:  “In elite competition cycling such as the Olympics, Britain is leading the way.  But in everyday life we’re lagging behind.  I’m asking the government to improve its performance on cycling across the country.  We need to learn from the best in Europe, where in cities like Copenhagen a third of journeys are made by bike.

“We need investment of £10 per head spent on cycling infrastructure rather than £2 at present.  This is what cycling bodies have been calling for, for over a decade.”