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Scheme to improve cycle safety at spot where Ardian Zagani was killed has been "in the works" according to TfLCamden Road (via StreetView).jpg

Scheme to improve cycle safety at spot where Ardian Zagani was killed has been "in the works" according to TfL

Campaigners say schemes are being kicked into the long grass
by Alex Bowden
Sat, Sep 02, 2017 10:58
4

An improvement scheme for the spot where a London cyclist was killed this week has been ‘in the works’ for three years. Ardian Zagani was struck by a Ford Transit van in Camden Road, Holloway, just after 6am on August 29 and died at the scene minutes later.

A witness to the incident told The Islington Tribune that the accident happened at a point where Camden Road “pinches” from two lanes to one.

Transport for London (TfL) reportedly met cycling groups three years ago to discuss improvements to the road, with proposals including a segregated cycle lane.

John Chamberlain, coordinator at London Cycling Campaign, said: “There was one scheme in 2014 that was supposed to be taken further – but didn’t go anywhere. There was another in 2004.”

TfL said a scheme to improve safety was still “in the works”.

Chamberlain added: “Of course, we cannot say whether these schemes would have protected against this tragic incident. My personal opinion is that what is happening is that there are people with good aspirations within TfL, but there are too many different interests.

“For example, there are big concerns about bus delays. It’s all to do with priorities. There are other roads in London like this one where changes have been made. Cycling is on the up and up. You can’t keep kicking it into the long grass. You have to make compromises.”

Stop Killing Cyclists are to hold a vigil and die-in for Zagani on Monday night.

London
Ardian Zagani
Camden Road
TFL
London Cycling Campaign
Alex Bowden

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

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4 comments

Avatar
severs1966 | 6 years ago
0 likes

"Yeah, we've been meaning to do something about that. Yeah, yeah, we'll get round to it."

Avatar
Bikebikebike | 6 years ago
2 likes

Whilst Sadiq Khan is in many ways better that BoJo, for cycling he's been a disaster.  All guff and no political capital being spent pushing through schemes.  I'd feel better if he actually said that he wasn't in favour of the infrastructure, because at least then he'd be honest.  Instead he makes the right noises, but nothing happens.

Avatar
FluffyKittenofT... replied to Bikebikebike | 6 years ago
2 likes
Bikebikebike wrote:

Whilst Sadiq Khan is in many ways better that BoJo, for cycling he's been a disaster.  All guff and no political capital being spent pushing through schemes.  I'd feel better if he actually said that he wasn't in favour of the infrastructure, because at least then he'd be honest.  Instead he makes the right noises, but nothing happens.

He really seems to be almost completely inert. Might as well have elected a plank of wood.

He's better than Boris in not wasting huge sums of money on vanity projects like that bridge or the cable car or the dodgy bus or stupid art installations. I suppose the irony is the cycle infrastructure was the one vanity project of Boris's that was actually worthwhile. The stopped clock being right twice a day.

Shame he didn't just put everything into cycling projects instead of all the pointless stuff.

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emishi55 | 6 years ago
4 likes

"John Chamberlain, coordinator at London Cycling Campaign,"

(John is actually coordinator of the Camden branch of London Cycling Campaign.)

 

I use this road each week. It is one of the chronic heavy trafficked, no-go routes for most people on bikes yet has enough space for lanes on either side.

There are no alternative parallel routes, so TfL should really get its act together and get a grid network of routes into place, fast.

Even though Camden has some of the best examples of infrastructure, the centre remains completely offputting with a four lane one way system on the High Street, and impossible to navigate for newcomers.

More broadly we should be looking at a motor grid, keeping through traffic to main routes only - making side roads and resdiential areas access only.

Sadiq Khan is maintaining his silence (albeit with perhaps a few signs of movement behind the scenes - though with hugely flawed schemes - Nine Elms and Imax roundabout as examples) -

He's certainly missed his chance to be seen as the mayor who hit the ground running and implemented the several hundred miles of cycle lanes he agreed tobefore his election.

They could have been in place by now along with the svhemes he has cancelled (Westway Extension) - the resulting growth from these few measures would made agreement to a complete city-wide network a virtual walkover (excuse the unintended pedestrian puns).

 

TfL need to get confontative verbally, to get the schemes happening, rather than continue to allow people to be put off of cycling by actual, physical confrontation on the roads.

When Chris Boardman says he's put off of cycling on the roads, surely that's a sign for action?  

 

 

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