Surrey Police issue safety warning to road cyclists after injury

Surrey Police have issued a warning to cyclists to be more safety aware after a rider was injured on the county's roads.

The force says that cyclist numbers are up following the Tour de France and the Olympic road races which took in the famous Box Hill circuit.

Now officers from Surrey Police have launched a campaign to raise awareness among cyclists.

The campaign, called CycleSMART, aims to encourage cyclists and motorists to be aware of each other and to cycle and drive safely.

A cyclist was taken to hospital with leg injuries on July 25th after being hit by a white Vauxhall Ampera just after 7am on the Effingham Road in Copthorne.

Surrey Police Superintendent, Sharon Bush, told the Crawley Observer: “People have been really keen to get out on their bikes thanks to the warmer weather and the excitement generated by the Olympics and the Tour de France.

“With that increase in number comes an increase in the number of collisions being reported.

“We are asking for a little bit of courtesy from drivers and for them to be mindful of other road users.

“Likewise, we are appealing to cyclists to be visible, take care at junctions and take responsibility for their own safety.

“We don’t want to spoil anyone’s fun and want to encourage both motorists and cyclists to share Surrey’s roads in harmony.”

Kay Hammond, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety, said: “Cycling is a great way to keep fit and enjoy the outdoors but we all need to take care. I’d urge cyclists and drivers to show some respect for each other so we can all share the roads safely, whether you’re on two wheels or four.”

Surrey County Council is also offering bikability courses for residents of all ages who want to learn about cycling on the road.