An MP has supported a public petition to stop ‘dangerous’ time trial cycling on one of the busiest routes out of Uttoxeter, saying “cyclists have brought the petition on themselves.”
Amanda Brooks begun the petition after she was a witness to a crash between a cyclist and an HGV on the A50. She is asking other local residents to help her approach the Department for Transport to stop the use of the road for racing.
Concerned Uttoxeter resident Amanda Brooks, of Drovers Close, who was witness to a horrifying crash between a cyclist and a HGV is lobbying the Department of Transport in a bid to stop cyclists using the A50 for competition races.
The petition now has 90 signatures, still far short of the 100,000 that might create the chance for a debate in the House of Commons.
MP Andrew Griffiths told the Uttoxeter News: “I can completely understand why residents want to start this petition against the cycling time trials. We’ve seen deaths on the A50 and I’ve seen myself near misses.
“I think unfortunately cyclists have brought the petition it on themselves. Many time trials aren’t well run and aren’t signposted. Safety measures aren’t in place and unless cyclists start taking it more seriously these calls for cyclists to be banned will only continue.
“It would be a shame for cyclists but they desperately need to do something to protect themselves from other road users.
“One option would be to put warnings and signs at every junction.
“You can get onto the A50 and before you know it there is a cyclist right in front of you.”
Campaign leader Ms Brooks said: “I’m pleased that it’s raising such awareness and it’s making people think about the risks and discuss solutions such as better signage for motorists as this has clearly been inadequate during recent time trials.
“Cyclists have commented saying they are bemused as to why fellow riders would seek time trials on the A50, so it isn’t just motorists that find this dangerous.
“The petition will not only raise awareness but clearly bring to light the conversations that need to be had to make these time trials safer for both cyclists and motorists alike.
“I just hope we get enough signatures to get something done about the way cycle events are held on the A50 in future.
“Two years ago I witnessed a cyclist get struck by a HGV. As a witness, the police kept me informed and the cyclist died leaving behind his wife and children.
“The driver was given a driving ban losing his livelihood.
“Each year that the cycle competition is on the A50 it brings back those memories and its terrifying watching drivers overtake them.”
The petition reads:
Stop cyclists using the A50 (bypassing Uttoxeter) for competition races. 2 years ago a HGV took down a cyclist which led to the cyclists death and the driver sentenced, I’m sure this is not the first or last time you’ll hear similar incidents involving cyclists on main roads.
Cyclists struggle to cycle in straight lines when extremely tired in competitions and tend to vier all over the dual carriageway where heavy traffic is travelling at 70mph. Cyclists don’t stand a chance with their minimal protection from a potentially fatal RTA.
General traffic end up having near miss accidents when trying to avoid them too. There is a perfectly good cycle path away from the A50 dual carriageway so alter the competition route for everyone’s safety.
Cyclists on dual carriageways should be banned unless the routes are closed off which would cause chaos on this particular road. So please sign this petition to ban cyclist from the A50 dual carriageway (Derbys/Staffs) which will help to save lives!
Please note: This article was amended on 27 July 2017 to clarify comments made by Andrew Griffiths MP in an interview with the Uttoxeter News in 2014.
53 thoughts on “MP supports petition calling for time trialling to be banned on A50”
One cyclist on A50 struck
One cyclist on A50 struck from behind by texting truck driver
http://www.uttoxeter-news.co.uk/News/Dead-cyclists-father-in-bid-to-ban-bikes-on-A50.htm
Another truck driver received a suspended sentence for death by careless driving for mowing down and killing a cyclist from behind
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-17695954
A quote from the (presumably) naive and completely misguided woman who has put the petition together
“Two years ago I witnessed a cyclist get struck by a HGV. As a witness, the police kept me informed and the cyclist died leaving behind his wife and children.
“The driver was given a driving ban losing his livelihood”
Seems much more concerned that the truck driver lost his job to me.
Personally I avoid A roads
Personally I avoid A roads when riding. Just not worth the risk.
Beaufort wrote:Personally I
I’d be stuck for places to go if I didn’t use A roads. I’m motivated to visit places I’ve never been to before by bike, not so much by car.
One such place, 40 miles from home was a lovely Sunday morning ride. I took the wife and kids on the same route in the car…never again…what a nightmare. ~X(
I think only the obesity epidemic will force the government to take cycling seriously as a form of transport, so kids can cycle to school and road safety for all road users is considered.
Can we start a petition to
Can we start a petition to turn the A50 into a cycle path?!
TTing on a busy A road is
TTing on a busy A road is asking to be removed from the gene pool unfortunately but then banning cyclists from A roads is a little to extreme. The roads are busy, heavy and are meant to be driven at speeds up to 70mph, specially the main ‘arterial ones’ that supplement the motorway to larger towns and cities.
Like Beaufort, I avoid them like the plague as I accidentally ended up on one once and it wasn’t a pleasant 10 minute experience. Wind drag from on a normal bike from a passing truck would be enough to pull you into the middle of the road so heavens knows what it would be like on a TT bike.
It is a shame it has to come to this as we should be able to share the roads but common sense has to prevail. Is someone going to try a TT on the M4/M25 next?
I see one or two cyclists on
I see one or two cyclists on the A1 in Newcastle every morning driving to work. They must have a death wish
TT on cycle paths.
TT on cycle paths. :))
You can’t say all A roads are
You can’t say all A roads are bad, they usually have the advantage of being wide and with clear visibility for long distances.
There are faster A roads I prefer not to cycle on simply because of the speed difference, it only takes a moment of inattention from a driver and you’ve had it. This part of the A50 would be one of those I avoided.
The best way to solve the
The best way to solve the problem is two fold.
1. ban HGV from the roads during daylight hours.
2. to stop Stupid comments from any MP, remove the need to be stupid, and speak before you think from the list of qualities needed to be an MP! :))
Cycling on A roads isn’t any
Cycling on A roads isn’t any more dangerous than any other road, quite often the opposite.
Drivers have a responsibility not to drive over other road users, let’s not side with people who are victim blaming, even if they are doing it unconsciously.
This country is useless
This country is useless really. Just reactive and not forward thinking.
For example, on Sundays there is usually less traffic on many A roads. Why not restrict drivers to the right hand lane where it’s possible on busy cycle routes to encourage cycling.
I like to leave as early as possible when I go out cycling to avoid traffic. Many a time you still have idiots sticking to the left lane, speeding in their cars coming unnecessarily close.
What a complete piece of
What a complete piece of garbage! She says the aim is to educate people, but I think she is in fact the one that needs to be educated.
Along this logic, cyclists shouldn’t be allowed to cycle in London, as people have been hit by HGV’s and killed there. Road races shouldn’t happen. In fact cyclists shouldn’t be allowed to ride on roads.
Cyclists don’t swerve around in the lane when tired, cyclists swerve to avoid the pothole which could lead to a crash or other dangers, just as a car or lorry would to do avoid breaking the vehicle.
Finally, I much prefer dual carriageway time trials, as I actually find them safer. When you’re travelling at 30mph on a single carriage road, car’s struggle to overtake, get frustrated and carry out dangerous overtakes. With DC’s there is always another lane, to which I find a lot safer.
If she want’s to see dangerous cycling, watch a road race. As much I enjoy racing them, there is some genuinely terrifying riding from some riders.
!“You can get onto the A50
!“You can get onto the A50 and before you know it there is a cyclist right in front of you.”!
numpty basically admits to not being aware of their suroundings…
Paul_C wrote:!“You can get
Didn’t you know that cyclists can quite literally appear out of nowhere? It’s the Flux Capacitor built into all recent electronic shifters, I gather…
Let’s start a petition to ban
Let’s start a petition to ban Lorries from the A50, we could do it seriously say for weekends (like in France) or as a mickey take and go for completely.
It would be hilarious to get more signatures… :))
https://www.google.co.uk/maps
[url]https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/@51.958917,-2.156817,3a,75y,357.16h,72.85t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1smMtiCwnTzzCwTl8AbRrHGQ!2e0!4m2!3m1!1s0x48710315cc0d5163:0x45c5d14f33be793d[/url]
once upon a time this was a dual carriage way, now it is single and has a nice wide cycle path…
Maybe this is the way forward for all dual carriageways?
Bit of a pity it starts and stops in the middle of nowhere really! I guess you can’t have everything!
Quote:once upon a time this
It’s still a dual carriageway.
Now each of the carriageways has a single car lane and a cycle lane.
mrmo
they did it here on the A38 in Gloucestershire…
http://goo.gl/maps/OXEDT
sadly it’s only for a short stretch 🙁
ha ha… finally followed
ha ha… finally followed your link and it was to the same stretch… 🙂
The courts found the HGV
The courts found the HGV driver guilty of driving below the required standard. That, in a nutshell, is the problem, not the presence of cyclists on NSL DC’s but this woman, being so deeply conditioned by our motor-centric culture, can’t see that. And neither can her Tory-boy MP.
Nobber drivers are the problem. And nobber MP’s. And nobber petition starters.
MPs also bring it on
MPs also bring it on themselves.
What is “it” anyway?
Have to admit that in the A38
Have to admit that in the A38 example I’d prefer one of the carriageways to be given over to motor vehicles, the other to bikes. As it is, I find it fairly safe but it’s unlikely to convince anyone to take up cycling, which a bike-only carriageway might do.
A little request to road.cc – in these stories, could you cite the party the MP belongs to? Might help people when deciding who to vote for at the next election…
Doctor Fegg wrote:Have to
Very odd, but his party affiliation is very, erm…, discrete on his website (http://www.andrewgriffithsmp.com/content/about-andrew).
He is, of course, a Tory: http://www.conservatives.com/OurTeam/Members_of_Parliament/Griffiths_Andrew.aspx
I can’t agree with the post
I can’t agree with the post above about dual carriageway cycling being safer than single carriageway cycling.
I understand why cyclists want to TT on dual carriageways -they are fast, often straight, smooth roads which can be appealing to someone trying to beat their PB. But traffic doing 70+ mph struggles to react to slow moving vehicles, it’s not always possible to change lanes. If you’re in lane 2, you may not see the cyclist in lane 1, and the temptation for drivers is perhaps to pass close rather than slam on the brakes in that situation.
I think generally drivers will not be expecting a cyclist and their style of driving is likely to reflect that – ie cruising, motorway style, rather than reading the road far ahead, ready to overtake or slow for turnings/ junctions /other traffic
That being said, I don’t agree with the petition which calls for banning rather than improved safety measures, (contrary to what the campaign leader says).
700c wrote:I can’t agree with
Which is safer, single carriageway country road with idiots intent on doing 60 round blind bends or a dual carriageway with decent sight lines and cars doing 70?
Nothing is that simple, i ride to and from work on a major A road but as it is the only reasonable choice i don’t have a lot of options, i could detour and add 1000ft climbing and a few miles or less climbing and more detour, but as the ride is already 16miles i don’t really want to stretch the commute over 20 each way every day. Is it safe, ish, is it pleasant, NO!
mrmo wrote:700c wrote:I can’t
Well that’s not really comparing like with like! Of course I’d take the road without the idiot driver and blind bends every time!
Generally I’d still say TT’ing on a dual carriageway is not a sensible idea, for the reasons outlined above.
As I say to people when their
As I say to people when their response is “cyclists shouldn’t be on the road it is dangerous” – Everyone is perfectly entitled to use the roads, just because you are driving a bigger vehicle it gives you no more rights than any other road user, whether they be a pedestrian, horse rider, cyclist or driver.
Time the car is king bubble was burst and a zero tolerance crack down on the blight of poor/lazy driving standards was implemented starting with those driving vehicles as part of their work. Nearly wiped out in Bath yesterday while driving by a coach driver who felt that the speed limit wasn’t fast enough for them and that indicators were optional!!
Cycling is not dangerous.
Cars & Lorries are not dangerous.
It is the idiot behind the wheel of the car or lorry that is dangerous!
So Amanda Brooks is more
So Amanda Brooks is more concerned about the driver of the HGV losing his job, who happened to be texting on his phone at the time of the accident. than the family of the poor cyclist who through no fault of his own was struck from behind by a driver who was breaking the law. And we have a MP, Mr Andrew Griffiths who thinks the cyclist was a fault too, not the HGV driver. Are these people for real. Mr Andrew Griffiths who in the right mind voted for you. and who in their right mind would support this petition.
Thee’s a very good reason
Thee’s a very good reason this petition has attracted so few signatures. It’s completely misguided and ill-informed.
All the open TT events I have seen are well-signed and have marshals on every junction. I have never seen people veering when tired in a TT. As another poster said riders veer because of poor road surface and in and of itself this is only a reason to improve the road surface. It is needless victim blaming as the incident she cites the driver hit the cyclist from the rear. Drivers hit others often because they aren’t paying attention.
There are very few dual carriageways that are off-limits to cyclists – the lower section of the A470 down the Valleys to the junction of the M4 being one. I can understand why that one is restricted – numerous slip-wayed junctions, bends, inclined and walled off. Maybe the A50 there is similar. However, this is not the way to petition for a change.
MP has said that the paper
MP has said that the paper misquoted him, with reference to the “cyclists bring it on themselves”
https://twitter.com/agriffithsmp/status/488266166520250369
But then careers off into more victim blaming territory claiming the TTs are not managed or signed enough.
Neatly seemingly forgetting about this gem on his very own website
http://www.andrewgriffithsmp.com/content/mp-call-a50-probe-after-cyclist-dies-crash
So obviously does not like cyclists. He has not offered to support road justice or space for cycling.
Agree with 700C.
Our local
Agree with 700C.
Our local by pass the A565 ( with plenty of rural side roads) was 70mph but with at least one motorist death a year and countless serious injuries it was dropped to 60mph. Some councillors wanted 50mph but were over ruled. I reckon perhaps 40% are still doing 70mph+ past lorries straddling two lanes to get by a hardy few TT riders. The A59 runs a weekly TT. I support club that runs it: they have a right to do so but it is the front line of the cyclist motorist share the road issue and if motorists don’t want to or expect to share the end result is always the same. Motorists are killing each other at a steady rate so cyclists should expect the same.
A roads are dangerous but if it’s a danger you choose to accept? Go ahead. As death’s increase TT’s will either be banned or motorists forced to slow down. I imagine the latter is out of the question.
Ms Brooks clearly has no
Ms Brooks clearly has no understanding of cycling on the roads and being witness to one accident does not mean she is now an expert on cycling road safety.
“Cyclists don’t stand a chance with their minimal protection from a potentially fatal RTA.”
What protection should the 875 vehicle occupants and 398 pedestrians who were killed on the roads in 2013 have then?
The number of serious cycling injuries & fatalities on the roads is actually not that high (103 fatalities in 2013), yet uniformed MPs and the press continue to portray cycling as some kind of ‘extreme sport’.
But getting smashed up in a car crash is just how it is to these people, no need for campaigns here such as lower A road speed limits, 20mph zones, tougher sentencing, etc.
MP Andrew Griffiths told the
MP Andrew Griffiths told the Uttoxeter News: “I think unfortunately cyclists bring it on themselves. :&
“One option would be to put warnings and signs at every junction. ~X(
Mr Griffiths another option would be to make sure drivers stay under the speed limit look where they’re going and actually drive properly.
Try that one for a sound bite. 👿
I always fail to understand
I always fail to understand the mentality behind cars.
If people get shot dead, then pistols and rifles are banned.
If people get stabbed then knives are banned.
Because people have tried to blow up aircraft we are banned from carrying potential explosives.
Yet if people are killed by cars etc we call for a ban of people not cars.
Yorkshie Whippet wrote:I
Simple. No one, except a few farmers, actually believes they need to carry a gun. Even on here, lots of people believe they need a car. Even the drunken killer of Battle got some sympathy for how hard her life will be sans auto. Until we change that mistaken belief, the desperate attempts to blame everything but the car will continue.
The MP is just looking for a
The MP is just looking for a bit of publicity. What a knob.
Mind you thinking a bit more,
Mind you thinking a bit more, the A38 from Thornbury has a lot of cycle path sections, as well as the bit north of Gloucester.
I can only guess that with the M5 taking traffic has allowed a rethink on road use?
Shameful the amount of
Shameful the amount of publicity people want from this type of headline.
Been TTing for a few years,
Been TTing for a few years, both on DC’s & SC’s, I’ve never seen a racer veer “all over” the Dual Carriageway, that is at least 16ft (maybe 20) of “veer”…
Maybe if everyone gave their full attention to the road ahead of (and around) them, we would all be a lot safer.
Shocking bit of ‘minority beating’ publicity seeking by an MP, going for the LCD vote. Typically Tory (thinly veiled UKIPness).
Maybe rethinking the default
Maybe rethinking the default 70mph limit on dual carriageways would be a better idea? These roads weren’t typically designed with that speed in mind, and it really isn’t safe in most cases. 60mph is much better as a default, and many places should be restricted further.
I wonder if the honourable
I wonder if the honourable MP’s views would have been equally victim blaming if this truck driver, with 1000+ m of visibility, had ploughed into the back of a stationary queue of cars killing a family….
I wonder if the honourable
I wonder if the honourable MP’s views would have been equally victim blaming if this truck driver, with 1000+ m of visibility, had ploughed into the back of a stationary queue of cars killing a family….
Although I can’t agree with
Although I can’t agree with her intended outcome, to be fair she does actually seem concerned about road deaths. It’s an improvement over “cyclists deserve it because they don’t pay road tax.”
It’s these people in the middle ground that we should be courting with positive messages to get them on side rather then writing them off as numpties (although I agree there’s plenty of those around too).
Queue outrage, but I kind of
Queue outrage, but I kind of agree with Ms Brookes (although the way she expressed herself – or she has been quoted – is unfortunate). Riding on dual carriageways is for early mornings before there is any traffic or idiots (or when you are lost). Apart from being unpleasant, it’s unsafe. Sometime a bit of pragmatism is in order and there’s no point anyone dying to prove a point.
“There is a perfectly good cycle path away from the A50 dual carriageway so alter the competition route for everyone’s safety.” Seems a perfectly sensible alternative, if true.
“Cyclists on dual carriageways should be banned unless the routes are closed off which would cause chaos on this particular road.” Don’t know how true this is, but maybe they could consider road closures at certain times. Although this might actually inconvenience people materially. I know we are all up in arms but is it really necessary to have this TT run where it is/when it is?
I’ve got very mixed feelings
I’ve got very mixed feelings on the subject of racing on open roads. On one hand there is obviously an increased risk to riders compared to riding on closed roads but if open-road TTs were banned there would be far fewer races overall as the appetite to close roads for such events just doesn’t exist.
Personally I would feel more comforatable doing a TT on a nice wide dual carridgeway with good visibility and surfacing rather than a minor A or B road. This is bearing in mind that it’s a race rather than a Sunday afternoon pootle and the safety considerations are likely to be different. My top choice would be the minor roads closed to other traffic but that’s not likely to happen any time soon.
I have to say there are some
I have to say there are some good points made, and some bad ones.
NO: Cyclists don’t “bring it on themselves”.
YES: Cycling on a dual carriageway is generally likely to be more hazardous than on a single carriageway road, largely due to the speed involved and the nature of a faster lane overtaking a slower lane. Some cyclists are okay with riding on dual carriageways (obviously). Some don’t think it is safe. Let’s be aware of the potential risk.
YES: “One option would be to put warnings and signs at every junction. You can get onto the A50 and before you know it there is a cyclist right in front of you.”
If you’re driving on a dual carriageway you probably don’t expect to see a cyclist on the road, so you’re going to be less prepared to deal with a 30mph vehicle. It is simply a sensible move to maximise the awareness of drivers. Why not? That’s the general reason we have road signs. I was always happier riding a TT knowing that the junctions had signs at the junctions reading “Warning. Cycle race in progress” – and that was just club 10’s.
NO: It doesn’t excuse some **** using their phone (texting, driving, reading, doing whatever) whilst driving.
NO: “It would be a shame for cyclists but they desperately need to do something to protect themselves from other road users”. Should we leave it to victimes to protect themselves from rape, domestic violence, child abuse, racism etc? NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!!!
YES: Amanda Brooks has witnessed an horrific incident where someone was violently killed. I can’t begin to imagine how traumatic that was for her. She’s dealing with it by trying to do something about it.
NO: Banning TT’s isn’t the only option.
YES: Campaign leader Ms Brooks said: “I’m pleased that it’s raising such awareness and it’s making people think about the risks and discuss solutions such as better signage for motorists as this has clearly been inadequate during recent time trials”. At least she’s being open minded.
NO: “Cyclists struggle to cycle in straight lines when extremely tired in competitions and tend to vier all over the dual carriageway where heavy traffic is travelling at 70mph”. Racing does not equate to people being tired and weaving all over the road FFS!
NO: “The driver was given a driving ban losing his livelihood”.
Great! Good! Brilliant! If that driver was texting then he broke the law and killed someone as a direct result. I don’t want that driver on the road. He lost his livelihood, but someone else lost their life.
YES: “Cyclists don’t stand a chance with their minimal protection from a potentially fatal RTA”. True. So we need people to drive with due care & attention!
NO: “There is a perfectly good cycle path away from the A50 dual carriageway so alter the competition route for everyone’s safety”.
Has she ridden it? Not ideal for time trialling, so it misses the point rather.
I’d add that a large proportion of cycle paths that I use aren’t fit for purpose and can be more dangerous than the roads. Of course, if I use the roads instead I get shouts of “Get on the f*****g cycle path”.
Apologies for the length of this post, but it is never as black and white as people make it seem. There ARE some reasonable points hidden amongst the idiotic ones.
We have a massive culture problem with poor attitudes of road users, poor standards of road use, inadequate policing of road users & inadequate sentencing of offenders.
Apologies if this seems crass, but would Amanda Brooks also petition for women to be restricted to a 10pm curfew and 2 units of alcohol per evening to reduce the number of sexual assaults? No, it isn’t the same… is it?
I tried cycling on a dual
I tried cycling on a dual carriageway years ago; never again. I was so glad to get off. The speed differential is too high and you only have to get the ‘inattentive, #bloodycyclists, speedster’ and then etc etc. I had occasion to drive up the A38 from Plymouth a few years ago at 0630 after coming off a ferry. The light was a bit ‘flat’ but I spotted something in the distance; 2 blokes cycling side by side nattering and doing about 10mph in the LH lane. A few miles on and, again, I spotted something in the LH lane; a time trial. I just thought, suit yourself but no thanks.
I’m no fan of cycling on busy
I’m no fan of cycling on busy main roads and have lost the urge to put in fast times due to being dragged along by a lorry’s wake. That said her comments are stupid and ill thought. More cyclists are killed on the streets of london than on dual carriage ways so do we ban all cyclists there as well, and they aren’t racing?
I would support a ruling that stated all time trials must have a rear flashing led light, anything to catch a drivers eye is worth it.
Simmo72 wrote:
I would
I was with you up to the ‘flashing’ bit.
As an aside, wouldn’t a more
As an aside, wouldn’t a more rational petition to start, after you witness a texting lorry driver crash into and kill a cyclist, be a petition for better inforcement of traffic laws?
Ms Brooks states “One option
Ms Brooks states “One option would be to put warnings and signs at every junction.”
As an official of a club which holds an annual TT on this road, we would be delighted to do so, and to hell with the extra cost.
But get this folks; I understand such signs are not allowed on the A50, wait for it, due to “Health and Safety” regulations ! ! !
In fact I believe the Dept of Transport (or some other such busy-body organisation) has threatened to actually take down any such signs put up by promoting clubs.
This is not doing anything at all for the health and safety of the riders.
I’m not sure what the fuss is
I’m not sure what the fuss is all about. According to expert witnesses, it’s possible to drive even a large vehicle along a lane in which a cyclist is riding, perfectly safely and without having to divert course at all.
https://beyondthekerb.wordpress.com/2014/02/19/between-the-lines/
Nobody ever brings it on
Nobody ever brings it on themselves.
Why anybody would ever want to ride a bike along there is beyond. It’s motorway fast. Every slip road is an Un-calculated gamble.
It’s one of the main Midlands cut through a from the M1-M6 FFS.
I’ve ridden it once for 5 miles on Christmas Day just gone, on my way up to my Mothers in the Peaks.
I only rode it because I figured no bugger would be on it, there were only a few cars about but it was still unpleasant.
Should be a no go…