Ten per cent of the children killed on Britain's roads last year died while cycling it has been revealed in answer to a parliamentary question.
In reply to a question from the Conservative MP, Peter Bone, Paul Clark the Minister of State at the Department for Transport said that 12 children under the age of 15 were killed on “pedal cycles” and a further 405 were seriously injured in reported road accidents in 2008 the latest year for which figures are available, the total number of children killed on the roads was 124 and the total number of cycling fatalities was 115.
In response to a follow-up question from Andrew Rosindell on what the DfT was doing to lower the casualty rate the minister said that among the recent steps taken to reduce the number of child road death included:
“new advertising and education campaigns aimed at children, their parents and teachers;
the dissemination of the Kerbcraft child pedestrian training scheme;
the roll out of Bikeability cycle training; and
the roll out of school travel plans and infrastructure for safer routes to school.
“We have also, in our consultation on a new road safety strategy, proposed to provide greater encouragement for local authorities to introduce 20 mph limits and zones in streets which are primarily residential in nature.
“The safety of all road users, including children, also benefits from our activities and spending on broader road safety measures, including changes to the road environment and to improve driver behaviour.”
Earlier this year the Government's road safety record was criticised in a report by the Audit Commission* which said that while casualty rates were in decline for all road users the rate of decline for the most vulnerable: children, pedestrians and cyclists was nothing like as great as that for motorists.
In June the DfT released the 2008 road casualty statistics for Great Britain which were hailed at the time by Transport Secretary, Lord Adonis as showing that Britain now has the safest roads in Europe, the Government also said that it had now met it's targets for road safety. However provisional first quarter figures for 2009 showed a climb in the number of cycling casualties.
* Improving road safety for pedestrians and cyclists in Great Britain
And even proofread the work of a mediocre academic who needs to publish a book every so often, in order to remain in good academic standing. Even...
Rule 666...
there we are then
Interesting to see the pro team bikes are sans integrated bars. I know people who have started to get replacement bars from trek after the recall....
Usually this would be the port of call but given the incline of the road and the tailback, along with the blinding sunlight and limited overtaking...
After you get banned this time, when you sneak back could your new username be Tinfoil Dave, please?
See Disney's Beauty and the Beast. All you need is a leader prepared to lie and cheat. There seem to be plenty of volunteers for the role.
Warning Signs, we don't need no stinking warning signs...
Funny, that...
The Triban seems indeed excellent value, but ideally I would prefer something with lazier upright geometry....