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OPINION

More rubbish about cycleways as the Telegraph manufactures a story from a paramedic's evidence-free 'feeling'

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"Cycleways delay ambulances" claims paramedic, presenting exactly no supporting data at all

Cycling campaigners have expressed mystification at claims that protected cycleways cause delays to ambulances, when no evidence supports those claims, and data from other emergency services shows new cycling facilities to have had no effect on response times.

The claim was made to the Telegraph by Richard Webber, Communications Director of the College of Paramedics. Webber told Telegraph science and health reporter Henry Bodkin that there was a general feeling among paramedics that protected cycleways are having a negative effect on the ability of ambulances to reach patients.

“We understand the need to segregate cyclists because there have been a number of horrific fatalities, but it can be a double-edged sword,” Webber said.

“You can’t allow it to slow things down for everyone else.”

Where's the data? Oh.

However, Webber also told the Telegraph that NHS data is not sufficiently detailed to discern the extent to which cycle lanes are hampering response times. In which case, it seems unlikely that cycle lanes are affecting emergency response times at all.

In response, Simon Munk, infrastructure campaigner at London Cycle Campaign got straight to the heart of the problem.

"The issue fundamentally is congestion," he said."The safer we can make cycling the less people will drive the fewer cars there will be on the road.

"The best evidence we have contradicts the view of the paramedics."

Munk later told road.cc: "Kerb separation is hardly a reason cars can't get out of the way or that ambulances can't get through.

"We would love to work more with emergency services to ensure design details work for them. But also there is loads of international evidence as to what does and doesn't work they should be drawing on as we do."

That evidence includes data (actual numbers, like the ones the College of Paramedics doesn’t have) from London Fire Brigade.

The London Fire Brigade supplied response times in a Freedom of Information response to questions about the effect of Waltham Forest road closures. The Brigade’s response said that road closures could in theory cause delays, but said: “Road closures are a frequently occurring feature of London’s infrastructure and, so far, they have never caused a detrimental delay to our emergency response.”

Commenting on the data itself, the Brigade spokesperson said: “My review of this performance does not show any sustained degradation in attendance time performance in the borough. … More importantly, performance in Waltham Forest is comfortably within the Brigade’s target to achieve the arrival of a first appliance in six minutes, on average, and a second (where needed) in an average of eight minutes.”

It seems reasonable to assume that if actually closing roads doesn’t delay something as large as a fire engine, then allocating a lane to cycling rather than motor vehicles isn’t going to have a worse effect on ambilances.

As an aside, the FOI request in this case was clearly a desperate fishing expedition to find a genuine excuse to oppose the mini-Holland, and the responder knew this. The Brigade responder wrote: “some of the matters which you have asked me to review require an opinion of the Brigade, and not the provision of data we hold. Under FOIA, you only have a right to the data we hold.”

Paramedics respond on Twitter

The College of Paramedics seems to have been somewhat embarrassed at the way the Telegraph reported this story and the reception on Twitter from cycling advocates.

It tweeted: “Point made to @Telegraph: Segregated cycle lanes save lives, however 'raised curbs' can obstruct drivers from allowing ambulances to pass.

“We are disappointed with how these comments have been reported and request that emergency vehicles are considered when planning highways.”

In its response to consultation comments on the East-West Cycle Superhighway (now Cycle Superhighway 3) Transport for London mentions emergency services and emergency access no less than 30 times.

In the response to consultation on Cycle Superhighway 11, Transport for London said: “We have liaised with emergency services to ensure that they are aware of the proposed changes to the road network and that their requirements have been considered. We will continue to engage with emergency services while we finalise our detailed designs.”

And then there's this, which needs no further comment from me:

Disappointing

It’s disappointing — to say the least — that a professional body whose work depends on the roads didn’t know its members’ needs had been taken into account.

It’s even more disappointing that a professional body in health care feels it’s appropriate to attack cycleways — a proven way of increasing active travel and therefore improving public health — on the basis of no evidence whatsoever.

Finally, a science and health reporter should know better than to base a story on ‘a general feeling’. Henry Bodkin should consider going back to the University of Durham, where he gained a degree in philosophy in 2009, and getting himself a science qualification.

John has been writing about bikes and cycling for over 30 years since discovering that people were mug enough to pay him for it rather than expecting him to do an honest day's work.

He was heavily involved in the mountain bike boom of the late 1980s as a racer, team manager and race promoter, and that led to writing for Mountain Biking UK magazine shortly after its inception. He got the gig by phoning up the editor and telling him the magazine was rubbish and he could do better. Rather than telling him to get lost, MBUK editor Tym Manley called John’s bluff and the rest is history.

Since then he has worked on MTB Pro magazine and was editor of Maximum Mountain Bike and Australian Mountain Bike magazines, before switching to the web in 2000 to work for CyclingNews.com. Along with road.cc founder Tony Farrelly, John was on the launch team for BikeRadar.com and subsequently became editor in chief of Future Publishing’s group of cycling magazines and websites, including Cycling Plus, MBUK, What Mountain Bike and Procycling.

John has also written for Cyclist magazine, edited the BikeMagic website and was founding editor of TotalWomensCycling.com before handing over to someone far more representative of the site's main audience.

He joined road.cc in 2013. He lives in Cambridge where the lack of hills is more than made up for by the headwinds.

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26 comments

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Grahamd | 6 years ago
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Am sure no sensible cyclist would want to delay any ambulance and so would happily make way for one. Make the cycling highways wide enough for emergency services with siren activated bollards and everyone is a winner.

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Dnnnnnn replied to Grahamd | 6 years ago
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Grahamd wrote:

Am sure no sensible cyclist would want to delay any ambulance and so would happily make way for one. Make the cycling highways wide enough for emergency services with siren activated bollards and everyone is a winner.

I think there are plenty places they can enter, even without bumping up the kerb. And seems they're allowed to, with the approval of TfL and - more importantly - Evening Standard readers.

www.standard.co.uk/news/london/police-car-on-999-call-uses-cycle-superhi...

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alansmurphy | 6 years ago
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I think he's suggesting that after the ambulance has passed, that lane of traffic thinks it has free reign for 2 minutes, y'know coz they're inconvenienced. Some will tend to tail the ambulance and ignore lights.

 

I was on a cycle lane, the Cheshire paint of safety, a couple of weeks back and there was an ambulance coming. Nearly got taken out by 2 cars diving onto the pavement at speed!

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brooksby | 6 years ago
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My local 'newspaper' (the Bristol Post) has just picked up on this too.  Despite Bristol having barely a couple of hundred metres of segregated cycle path in the whole city.

I think the paramedic bloke and the commenters below the line on the news sites, are all missing the point that a segregated cycle lane is NOT causing any problems.  British segregated cycle paths have a kerb, not some sort of twenty foot metal barrier.  If motor vehicles are unable to mount a kerb to get out of the way of emergency vehicles then how come so many cars end up parked on footpaths?

Aside from that,  they shouldn't be mounting the kerb to get out of the way anyway.  The HC says "Consider the route of such a vehicle and take appropriate action to let it pass, while complying with all traffic signs. If necessary, pull to the side of the road and stop, but try to avoid stopping before the brow of a hill, a bend or narrow section of road. Do not endanger yourself, other road users or pedestrians and avoid mounting the kerb. Do not brake harshly on approach to a junction or roundabout, as a following vehicle may not have the same view as you."

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BehindTheBikesheds | 6 years ago
2 likes

This seems relevant

http://www.roadswerenotbuiltforcars.com/alnessreport/

And with the netherlands reporting a 60:1 benefit ratio with respect to cycling infra spend to health cost savings it's a no brainer, except for those idiots that can't/don't want to accept the truth!

 

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EddyBerckx | 6 years ago
1 like

The Daily mail also picked this up and apparently (would never visi that  site myself) the comments were full of the usual you know what.

 

The paramedic/his bosses need pulling up on this, anyone know where you would complain about this?

 

and well done john, this should be on the homepage of road.cc, not tucked away in the blogs

 

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FatBoyW | 6 years ago
1 like

Really depressed to hear the paramedic spokesman given free reign on BBC Radio 5 live Sunday Morning following the telegraph article. They had no balancing view nor any questions about the 'data' used to infer cycling infrastructure just the idiot from the paramedic promulgating this fake news.

Thx BBC - lazy journalism getting everywhere

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notjustacyclist | 6 years ago
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It seems that both single-minded views are the problem here - looking at both extremes blows things out of proportion.    I expect there are few cases where the design of a cycle lane could be improved in order to account for emergency vehicles.    It is sensible for the design to be reviewed in these cases to be reviewed.    What's the problem?

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davel replied to notjustacyclist | 6 years ago
3 likes
notjustacyclist wrote:

It seems that both single-minded views are the problem here - looking at both extremes blows things out of proportion.    I expect there are few cases where the design of a cycle lane could be improved in order to account for emergency vehicles.    It is sensible for the design to be reviewed in these cases to be reviewed.    What's the problem?

The first problem is the inaccuracy and stupidity of blaming road congestion, caused by motor vehicles, on infrastructure for different vehicles. "I can't get my ambulance through this road full of stationary cars because the cars blocking my way can't just drive wherever they like".

The second problem is a dozy twat with a glorified title has opened his gob and this arsewittery fell out, and someone listened.

The third problem is other dozy twats peddled this opinion as news without having the slightest think or attempt at verification.

The fourth problem is hippies who think that wallies who spout unsubstantiated nonsense should be given a place round the table, in the interests of 'tolerance'.

I think that's it.

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FluffyKittenofT... replied to notjustacyclist | 6 years ago
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notjustacyclist wrote:

It seems that both single-minded views are the problem here - looking at both extremes blows things out of proportion.    I expect there are few cases where the design of a cycle lane could be improved in order to account for emergency vehicles.    It is sensible for the design to be reviewed in these cases to be reviewed.    What's the problem?

Great example of "false balance", peddling the simplistic idea that the truth is always 'in the middle' of arbitrarily defined 'extremes'. You should work for the BBC.

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1961BikiE | 6 years ago
2 likes

Racing Snake - very good point about how to correctly deal with the passage of emergency vehicles should be taught and tested. But then there are many omissions that need addressing in the driving test.

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Gravelly Stu | 6 years ago
19 likes

I am a paramedic and a cyclist and find this both embarrassing and annoying. The Tory Telegraph has managed to bash both cyclists and NHS workers. 

 

Providing cycling infrastructure saves and improves lives for everyone. 

 

In in my experience many car drivers are myopic, selfish and just plain stupid. 

 

Both cycle lanes and what to do when an ambulance approaches are areas which should be in the driving test.

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scrumpydave | 6 years ago
5 likes

From what I see on the roads drivers seem to be getting less and less respectful of emergency vehicles, and I don't think it has anything to do with cycling provision.

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ktache replied to scrumpydave | 6 years ago
2 likes
scrumpydave wrote:

From what I see on the roads drivers seem to be getting less and less respectful of emergency vehicles, and I don't think it has anything to do with cycling provision.

Maybe a bit of that, and also not knowing what to do, but I think quite a lot of it is to do with that they stay unaware of the bright flashing blues lights and the very loud sirens for far too long, cocooned and cossetted as they are in the big metal and glass boxes.

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brooksby replied to scrumpydave | 6 years ago
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scrumpydave wrote:

From what I see on the roads drivers seem to be getting less and less respectful of emergency vehicles, and I don't think it has anything to do with cycling provision.

Its a related point, but has anyone else noticed how motorists think that stopping to let an ambulance pass means they have some sort of 'get out of jail free' card for going through the next red light (after all, they'd done their civil duty by letting the blue lights past...).

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DaveE128 replied to brooksby | 6 years ago
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brooksby wrote:
scrumpydave wrote:

From what I see on the roads drivers seem to be getting less and less respectful of emergency vehicles, and I don't think it has anything to do with cycling provision.

Its a related point, but has anyone else noticed how motorists think that stopping to let an ambulance pass means they have some sort of 'get out of jail free' card for going through the next red light (after all, they'd done their civil duty by letting the blue lights past...).

Interesting comment - I think I get what you mean, and some people do seem to use it as an excuse to do things, but if you are driving, and are stopped at the stop line at a red traffic light, and an ambulance is directly behind you, the ambulance isn't able to use the other side of the road (eg traffic jam, dual carriageway), all the other traffic at the junction has stopped to let the ambulance through, would you move forward to let the ambulance get through the junction or wait for the lights to change?  I think I'd very tentatively move forward to get out of the way. It seems the right thing to do to me...

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P3t3 | 6 years ago
3 likes

Is it just my twisted sense of humour that wants to suggest that this is the paramedics responding to a threat to their livelihood...?

Note: make sure you have your sense of humour switched on before responding...

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ConcordeCX replied to P3t3 | 6 years ago
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P3t3 wrote:

Is it just my twisted sense of humour that wants to suggest that this is the paramedics responding to a threat to their livelihood...? Note: make sure you have your sense of humour switched on before responding...

if you have to tell people it’s a joke, it’s not a joke.

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racyrich | 6 years ago
6 likes

'raised curbs (sic)' can obstruct drivers from allowing ambulances to pass.

 

Really? So are driver expected to drive onto the pavement on the overwhelming majority of normal width roads with adjacent pavements?

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hawkinspeter replied to racyrich | 6 years ago
10 likes
racyrich wrote:

'raised curbs (sic)' can obstruct drivers from allowing ambulances to pass.

 

Really? So are driver expected to drive onto the pavement on the overwhelming majority of normal width roads with adjacent pavements?

Everyone knows that cars can't go over kerbs. That's why you never see cars parked on (or partially on) pavements.

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Jeffmcguinness replied to hawkinspeter | 6 years ago
1 like
hawkinspeter wrote:

 

Everyone knows that cars can't go over kerbs. That's why you never see cars parked on (or partially on) pavements.

To be fair, a single raised kerbline without a pavement may do serious damage to the underneath of any car attempting to cross it.  

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Yorkshire wallet | 6 years ago
7 likes

Perhaps if people stopped taking out cyclists they'd have less to respond to. 

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ktache | 6 years ago
11 likes

Huge volumes of motor vehicles delay emergency services.

The protected pedestrian infrastructure have raised kerbs and also railings, does the Communications Director of the College of Paramedics believe these are detrimental to response times too?

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hawkinspeter | 6 years ago
4 likes

It's good that you're calling out their data-less rubbish. Why can't the Telegraph just cut to the chase and put a big opinion piece about how they only want rich people on the roads and bikes are just too egalitarian for their taste? (Not wanting to Godwin this, but Hitler had a very similar hatred of the bicycle from his days of being a WW1 bike messenger).

By the way, "ambilances"? If you haven't got a proof reader, at least use a spell-checker.

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spen | 6 years ago
1 like

It's good that the telegraph was able to back up its story with images of emergency vehicles struggling to pass cycling infrastructure, especially the picture at the top of the article!  I think they also knew they would be taken to task for this article so no comment section!

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davel | 6 years ago
6 likes

Nice bit of comment at the end, John.

Looking at his other articles, it seems Bodkin's job title should be 'purveyor of clickbait and study press releases'. Is this the new 'journalism'?

Disappointingly, I couldn't see comments on the *article* on my phone. If there are any, it probably gets a bit of a kicking. Like the Graun, there's more value below the line with the Torygraph than much of the lazy stereotypical shit that passes for content.

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