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London Cycling Campaign calls protest ride after another cyclist death

Protest on September 2 after man killed in Archway this morning

After a man in his forties was killed cycling in Archway this morning, the London Cycling Campaign has called for everyone in the capital to join a protest ride on 2 September calling for city streets to be made much safer for cycling.

According to the Evening Standard, the man was hit by a lorry and pronounced dead at the scene despite being treated by medics on London’s Air Ambulance and two ambulance crews.

He is the sixth cyclist to be killed in London this year and the fourth in collision with a HGV.

London Cycling Campaign’s Mike Cavenett said, "It's dreadful to learn of yet another cycling death, and our thoughts are with the victim's family and friends.

“The streets around Archway are a notoriously dangerous place to cycle and walk, and local people have protested in an effort to have the area redesigned to make it more people-friendly, but to date the Mayor and Transport for London have done absolutely nothing.

“We urge all Londoners to join our peaceful protest ride on the evening of Monday 2 September, where we expect thousands to join us to tell the Mayor to provide dedicated space for cycling.”

"Separating bicycles and motor traffic at busy roads and junctions using continental-style infrastructure is essential part to make cycling safe and inviting for everyone.”

The mass ride on Monday 2 September will be the third ‘space for cycling’ protest, after thousands took to the streets at Aldgate and Holborn after fatalities there this summer.

The protest meets at 6pm (for 6.30pm start) at Jubilee Gardens and will be marshalled by experienced LCC staff and volunteers, and passing through Parliament Square.

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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18 comments

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hood | 10 years ago
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why is the protest so early? 6pm means normal office workers finishing at 5;30 or 6pm might not be able to get there for the start.

if i ride to parliament square and arrive after 6;30 where will the ride head next so i can join it??

thanks

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Matt eaton | 10 years ago
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Love to see more rides like this, particually outside of the capital.

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farrell | 10 years ago
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I didn't realise there was a "protest" in Manchester, although I would be up for a ride to pay tribute to Jaye whilst highlighting the need for safer cycling in Manchester.

However, this would depend entirely on the wishes of her family. Nothing would be worse than setting a bandwagon off that her family was opposed to.

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wors | 10 years ago
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Sad news indeed, but this shouldn't be just a London protest or a Manchester protest, it should be a countrywide protest to make the whole nation more cyclist aware and the roads safer.

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Mart | 10 years ago
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I offer my heartfelt sympathy's to all the family's affected by road deaths this year. They are all avoidable.
Gruesome as it is, this type of news should not just be played in the local media.
"Jedwood" was on the BBC 1 breakfast news!?! How are they more relevant on a news channel?

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antigee | 10 years ago
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All too sad

Hope Manchester police can find the time and resources to mount similar exercises to the one that clamped down on badly behaved cyclists on Oxford Rd and spend a few hours each day slowing down vehicles and handing out copies of that photo in the Manchester Evening News

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dp24 replied to antigee | 10 years ago
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antigee wrote:

All too sad

Hope Manchester police can find the time and resources to mount similar exercises to the one that clamped down on badly behaved cyclists on Oxford Rd and spend a few hours each day slowing down vehicles and handing out copies of that photo in the Manchester Evening News

Fat chance of that antigee.

I did a few laps of the SkyRide on Sunday. I got stopped at the traffic lights outside Piccadilly Station on each circuit whilst they let traffic through crossing the circuit, and every single time the (box) junction was blocked by traffic when the lights changed - including one occasion where an entire turn at the lights was missed by the cyclists thanks to a bus and two taxis sat in the middle of the junction.

I pointed this out to a Police officer who was stood at the junction, and asked why they weren't ticketing the drivers. I was told to "mind my own business and keep riding".

GMP don't seem to be interested in doing a thing about the appalling standard of driving in the city.

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farrell replied to dp24 | 10 years ago
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dp24 wrote:

GMP don't seem to be interested in doing a thing.

Edited for you.

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mrmo replied to dp24 | 10 years ago
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dp24 wrote:

I pointed this out to a Police officer who was stood at the junction, and asked why they weren't ticketing the drivers. I was told to "mind my own business and keep riding".

GMP don't seem to be interested in doing a thing about the appalling standard of driving in the city.

Nor just GMP, got into an argument with a Glos Pol officer during Cheltenham Gold Cup Week. When i pointed out the crap driving around the race course and how i had almost been hit because of his actions...

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onlyonediane | 10 years ago
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Sad news indeed, whilst Space4cycling is a good campaign, one wonders when the road structures that are desparately needed are going to start?

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VeloPeo replied to onlyonediane | 10 years ago
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onlyonediane wrote:

Sad news indeed, whilst Space4cycling is a good campaign, one wonders when the road structures that are desparately needed are going to start?

It has - albeit in a minor way. Royal College Street in Camden. It should be noted this is a Camden Council scheme and nothing to do with TfL.
http://instagram.com/p/cpKkkuhk--/#

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zanf replied to onlyonediane | 10 years ago
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onlyonediane wrote:

Sad news indeed, whilst Space4cycling is a good campaign, one wonders when the road structures that are desparately needed are going to start?

TfL does not have a clue and will not change their way of thinking until they are made to be held accountable for the deaths of pedestrians and cyclists. They ignored their consultants advice and warnings over Kings Cross and Bow Roundabout and continue to propose infrastructure updates that have vulnerable users as an afterthought.

You only have to look at the proposal for A21 Farnborough Way/Green Street Green roundabout (near Orpington) to see that they are clueless.

Instead of reducing the size of the roundabout and restructuring the approach to the roundabout forcing cars to slow down, they are leaving it almost as it is so pedestrians and cyclists still have to dodge fast flowing traffic.

Again, just a waste of money to pay lip service to vulnerable users whilst not disrupting traffic flow in the slightest.

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dp24 | 10 years ago
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How many more need to be killed before something is done?

A woman was killed in Manchester on Saturday after being hit by a car at speed: http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/fami...

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farrell replied to dp24 | 10 years ago
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dp24 wrote:

How many more need to be killed before something is done?

A woman was killed in Manchester on Saturday after being hit by a car at speed: http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/fami...

Look at the state of that car. Christ almighty.

I feel nauseous after looking at that and the council should be feeling just as sick as they are responsible for the cycle lanes that dump you onto a dangerous roundabout.

I'm biting my tongue on thoughts about the driver for now.

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Dizzy | 10 years ago
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Such very sad news RIP & my condolences to the family x
On the day after RideLondon it just seems even more of a tragic waste

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bfslxo replied to Dizzy | 10 years ago
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Dizzy wrote:

Such very sad news RIP & my condolences to the family x
On the day after RideLondon it just seems even more of a tragic waste

sympathies

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jollygoodvelo | 10 years ago
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Sad. Let's hope the protest ride doesn't get disrupted like Critical Mass did...  7

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pmr | 10 years ago
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All too late for this poor bloke  2

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