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Cycling injuries on the rise in Brighton and Hove

3:00pm Monday 30th November 2009


A campaign group has called on a council to improve road safety after figures revealed the number of cyclists being injured has increased.

Between April and June of this year, 47 cyclists were injured in Brighton and Hove, compared with 44 over the same period last year, a rise of 6.8%.

Despite the increase, the figure is still well below the national increase in cycle casualties of 4,806, which equates to 9%.

A spokesman for Brighton and Hove City Council, which supplied the figures, said the authority believed the rise was caused by more people using bikes.

Adam Pride, secretary of Brighton cycle group Bricycles, said: “Brighton is a cycling town which is meant to be encouraging more and more cyclists but the council has got to ensure the roads are safer for them, particularly those who have only recently taken up cycling.

“Until we reach a critical mass in the number of cyclists on the roads it will rise.

“In Holland, where there are more cyclists, the number is much lower.

“The number of injuries will rise as more people take cycling up.”

A spokesman for the city council said: “At the moment we do not have data to indicate if there has been a proportionate increase in the use of cycles, which we believe to be the case.

“The council works closely with other agencies and partners to reduce casualties on the city’s streets, an example being the recent Brighten Up campaign, jointly run by the council and Sussex Police to target cyclists riding at night without lights.

“The enforcement led to 116 fixed penalty notices being issued by the police and those stopped were given vouchers to collect free cycle lights from the council.

“The responsibility for making the city’s streets safer to use rests with all road user types.

It is a shared responsibility and until everybody accepts that and does their bit to address road safety instead of blaming everybody else, we will never be able to have a significant impact on the unacceptable carnage on our roads.”

There have been no cycling deaths in Brighton between January and June but in the rest of the UK the number of cyclists killed or seriously injured increased by 19% to 820.


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Your Say YourArgus

salty_pete, Withdean says...
3:22pm Mon 30 Nov 09

So all the hundreds of thousands of taxpayers money spent "to improve road safety" have done absolutely no good at all then. Can we now remove the unnecessary cycle lane in Grand Avenue and thus improve road safety.

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Rostrum, Hove says...
4:26pm Mon 30 Nov 09

It would help if cyclists followed the high way code.
Did'nt use their mobile phones.
Didn't listen to their MP3 players.
Went the right way down one way streets.

etc etc.

A lot of the time they're their own worst enemy.

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andygunner, brighton says...
4:55pm Mon 30 Nov 09

Whoever the bloke is who rides home along church road westbound about 6pm every night like a total lunatic, you will be the next to add to the injury list and its your own fault. You race cars, weave in and out of vehicles at lights and are a hazard to others and yourself.... what you dont get, is that most drivers wont see you undertaking them unless they are checking their mirror to make a left turn. one day, you will be undertaking and the driver wont realise. undertaking is illegal for car drivers and cyclists too.

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davyboy, abingdon, oxon says...
5:01pm Mon 30 Nov 09

Rostrum wrote:
It would help if cyclists followed the high way code.
Did'nt use their mobile phones.
Didn't listen to their MP3 players.
Went the right way down one way streets.

etc etc.

A lot of the time they're their own worst enemy.
i was about to say the same thing. take responsibility for your own actions! use lights at night, hi-vis clothing, stop at red lights, use cycle lanes where provided, and don't blame everyone else. if you watch where you are going, you will not ride into pot-holes. the highway code applies to ALL road users, including cyclists.

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Wilftop, Brighton says...
5:03pm Mon 30 Nov 09

I was just about to say the same thing as Davyboy. Wear hi-vis & use lights. I see so many still with dark clothing & no hi-vis or lights.

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ICantThinkOfAName, LANCING says...
5:21pm Mon 30 Nov 09

Were these injuries sustained when the cyclists were on the road, in cycle lanes, on pavements, crossing traffic lights at red or going the wrong way down one way streets. Did they wear helmets and high visibility clothing. Only when this is know can the problems be rectified.

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monty sidewinder, brighton says...
5:34pm Mon 30 Nov 09

when you go to move position in your lane or to overtake a parked vehicle you look in your mirror - if your riding a motorbike you also look behind before you move to overtake, it's called a 'lifesaver look' - i see very few cyclists do the lifesaver look and most just cycle out and around parked obsticles without a thought as to what might be behind them and seeing as pushbikes dont have any mirrors, looking behind themselves might save a few more of them getting hit by cars etc. the council should make this anti car city safer by regulating the cyclists. make them perform an adequate proficiency and road craft test and then issue permits to them- like tax discs and then they should abide by the road laws like the rest of us and if they ride on the pavement and run red lights they should be banned from riding a bike and have thier bikes impounded.

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DougM, Brighton says...
5:41pm Mon 30 Nov 09

It doesn't matter if you're lit up like a Christmas tree - car drivers still don't look; they still overtake cyclists and then turn left in front of them; they still overtake cyclists when they can see that the cyclist has an obstacle to negotiate in front of them; they still cut up cyclists in their rush to get to the back of the next queue; car drivers still are seen driving whilst texting and phoning; car drivers are seen by me (in my van) every day jumping red lights and making illegal moves.
Until their reckless and dangerous driving is cracked down upon, and until drivers are given compulsory annual eyesight tests the 2538 deaths caused by dangerous driving will increase next year.

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davyboy, abingdon, oxon says...
6:00pm Mon 30 Nov 09

DougM wrote:
It doesn't matter if you're lit up like a Christmas tree - car drivers still don't look; they still overtake cyclists and then turn left in front of them; they still overtake cyclists when they can see that the cyclist has an obstacle to negotiate in front of them; they still cut up cyclists in their rush to get to the back of the next queue; car drivers still are seen driving whilst texting and phoning; car drivers are seen by me (in my van) every day jumping red lights and making illegal moves.
Until their reckless and dangerous driving is cracked down upon, and until drivers are given compulsory annual eyesight tests the 2538 deaths caused by dangerous driving will increase next year.
these are also valid comments, but it takes two to tango. every road user has to take responsibility for their actions. if you speed past a cyclist, then turn in front of them, you are committing the offence of driving without due care and attention, and, if you were to injure the cyclist, could be heading for a ban. you are right Doug, there are many drivers who commit the offences that you mention, and are never caught, so we must all improve our roadcraft!

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Fercri Sakes, Hove says...
6:50pm Mon 30 Nov 09

salty_pete wrote:
So all the hundreds of thousands of taxpayers money spent "to improve road safety" have done absolutely no good at all then. Can we now remove the unnecessary cycle lane in Grand Avenue and thus improve road safety.
Sorry, me and many other cyclists use that path and we don't want to get run over by people such as yourself. Can you explain why road safety would improve if you removed this path?

Me and quite a few other Brightonians who have shed our cars for bikes have purposely moved to areas with good cycle links in the vicinity. We want to stay alive as well as fit.

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TheInsider, Brighton says...
7:39pm Mon 30 Nov 09

Think once, think twice, think bike.
Cyclists are vulnerable and yes it's really infuriating when they pedal along without lights and running red lights, but some drivers are just as bad.
As a car, motorcycle and cyclist I try to share the road with all users.
There is no such thing as an accident someone is at fault and sometimes its a motorist and sometimes the cyclist.
But the more cyclists are on the road, the fewer cars so motorists should support cyclists as it gives cars a clearer route.

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Hugh Rinall, Brighton says...
8:16pm Mon 30 Nov 09

Suggest the cyclists are educated in traffic law and stop behaving like selfish idiots!!!!!!!!

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Ashley, Sussex says...
9:13pm Mon 30 Nov 09

I agree with most of the above, riding standards in Brighton are appalling - and I speak as a cyclist, as well as a pedestrian and driver.
.
This is not helped by a ridiculous network of cycle lanes and paths. Mixing bikes and pedestrians is ludicrous for both pedsetrians and cyclists.
.
How much did it cost to install and maintain the cycle lane in Dyke Road? And it is routinely blocked by parked cars for its whole length.
.
If there is to be no parking enforcement then don't have a cycle lane. What a futile waste of money.
.
Enforcement (or lack of it) is the issue when it comes to riding on the pavement, failing to obey traffic signals and having no lights.
.
The saddest thing is that serious cyclists are tarred with the same brush. The majority of riders that are to blame are not 'cyclists' they are 'people riding bikes' and there is a distinct difference.

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Ashley, Sussex says...
9:15pm Mon 30 Nov 09

DougM wrote:
It doesn't matter if you're lit up like a Christmas tree - car drivers still don't look; they still overtake cyclists and then turn left in front of them; they still overtake cyclists when they can see that the cyclist has an obstacle to negotiate in front of them; they still cut up cyclists in their rush to get to the back of the next queue; car drivers still are seen driving whilst texting and phoning; car drivers are seen by me (in my van) every day jumping red lights and making illegal moves.
Until their reckless and dangerous driving is cracked down upon, and until drivers are given compulsory annual eyesight tests the 2538 deaths caused by dangerous driving will increase next year.
However, I also agree with DougM.

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Ashley, Sussex says...
9:17pm Mon 30 Nov 09

TheInsider wrote:
Think once, think twice, think bike.
Cyclists are vulnerable and yes it's really infuriating when they pedal along without lights and running red lights, but some drivers are just as bad.
As a car, motorcycle and cyclist I try to share the road with all users.
There is no such thing as an accident someone is at fault and sometimes its a motorist and sometimes the cyclist.
But the more cyclists are on the road, the fewer cars so motorists should support cyclists as it gives cars a clearer route.
I also agree with TheInsider... well said.

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Ashley, Sussex says...
9:19pm Mon 30 Nov 09

Hugh Rinall wrote:
Suggest the cyclists are educated in traffic law and stop behaving like selfish idiots!!!!!!!!
I agree with this - and they should be joined on the course by car/van/lorry/bus drivers - and motorcyclists.

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bug eye, hove says...
11:29pm Mon 30 Nov 09

grand avenue cycle lane is appauling as traffic crosses its path every few meters to go into large residential driveways. also pedestrians crossing the road or getting out of their parked cars have to walk across the cycle lane that is very obscured. I parked there a few weeks ago and stepped toward the pavement across the cycle lane as a lunatic biker coming down hill at break neck speed nearly knocked me over and could have injured himself. the cycle lanes are very poorly marked or divided, how often do you see unsuspecting tourists doodling along the seafront cycle lane because it blends in with the pavement, or they are queuing to cross the road.

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caeos, sussex says...
11:35pm Mon 30 Nov 09

if it will allow this link to the bbc video
http://news.bbc.co.u
k/local/cambridgeshi
re/hi/tv_and_radio/n
ewsid_8386000/838646
8.stm

Inside Out takes a closer look at some near misses between cars and bikes on the streets of Cambridge with on-board cameras.
The Inside Out programme will be broadcast on BBC1 at 1930 BST on Monday 30 November.
or iplayer
sw - body loss!

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caeos, sussex says...
11:46pm Mon 30 Nov 09

http://www.bbc.co.uk
/programmes/b0071mjk and watch this

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freddo, Brighton says...
12:17am Tue 1 Dec 09

as a cyclist in Brighton I've learnt to be very vigilant at all times - despite wearing hi-vis clothing and using lights at night, I still seem to be invisible to those motorists in their crush-proof tin boxes, listening to their iPods and talking on mobiles, who always seem to be on some urgent mission to get somewhere quickly at all costs.. a little bit of courtesy and common decency would go a long way - and maybe make the roads a bit safer!

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John60, Brighton says...
8:53am Tue 1 Dec 09

Well how about cylclist pay towards better road safety. I find Cyclist in Brighton to be annoying to say the least. The majority go through red lights, up and down one way streets, cycle on pavements and ride with either no lights or tallking on mobile phones. Hundreds of cyclist ride on the pavement on Marine Parade between Sea life and the Marina. I live in Crescent Place which is a one way street, however Cyclist choose to ride up the one way street in abundance. When told that it is a one way street they get abusive. I have reported this to the council and yet still nothing is done. If they get knocked of their bikes I have no sympathy!

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Ashley, Sussex says...
11:28am Tue 1 Dec 09

As always, tit-for-tat, pedestrians v. cyclists v. drivers.
.
There are good and bad drivers and good and bad cyclists.
.
Ultimately, in general, drivers should always give way to cyclists and pedestrians, cyclists should give way to pedestrians and ALL road users should exercise patience and care.
.
In fact, good manners would ensure there was never conflict between road users but good manners are in short suplly, just plenty of arrogance and impatience.
.
This debate is about PEOPLE and intolerance.

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Ashley, Sussex says...
11:40am Tue 1 Dec 09

John60 raises the old 'chestnut' of cyclists paying... paying for what?
.
If cyclists should pay then pedestrians should pay and no one suggests pedestrians should pay, so why should cyclists pay to propel themselves along the public highway.
.
Study the history of highways and common law John60.
.
I am absolutely certain that if cyclists were made to pay some sort of road tax there would be no change WHATSOEVER in the way that drivers treated cyclists.
.
So, that argument has no bearing at all on this debate.

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Whitedot, says...
12:54pm Tue 1 Dec 09

By the way it's legal to ride cycles two abreast on a road, so stop all your tooting and be patient already.

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Tye, Pembroke says...
4:54pm Tue 1 Dec 09

Whitedot wrote:
By the way it's legal to ride cycles two abreast on a road, so stop all your tooting and be patient already.
Another "I know my rights" heading for an accident.
There is ONE law above all you should remember - cars have air bags and crumple zones your body is your crumple zone so take care.
I know its unfair but who ever said life woulkd be fair

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Ashley, Sussex says...
5:39pm Tue 1 Dec 09

Tye said "Another 'I know my rights' heading for an accident."
.
No Tye, Whitedot is just stating a fact.
.
Two cyclists (legally) riding two abreast are at no risk of 'heading for an accident', unless carved up by a vehicle.
.
Interesting that most cyclists that write on the Argus 'comments' invariably advocate riding within the law, wheres many drivers writing therein are dismissive of the law and are just intolerant, arrogant and abusive towards cyclists.

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caeos, sussex says...
2:54pm Wed 2 Dec 09

so cycling 2 abreast is always legal?

66

You should

* keep both hands on the handlebars except when signalling or changing gear
* keep both feet on the pedals
* never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends
* not ride close behind another vehicle
* not carry anything which will affect your balance or may get tangled up with your wheels or chain
* be considerate of other road users, particularly blind and partially sighted pedestrians. Let them know you are there when necessary, for example, by ringing your bell if you have one. It is recommended that a bell be fitted

http://www.direct.go
v.uk/en/TravelAndTra
nsport/Highwaycode/D
G_069837

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Ashley, Sussex says...
6:34pm Wed 2 Dec 09

Caeos,
.
Read my post, I did not say it was 'always' legal (and nor did Whitedot), I referred to "Two cyclists (legally) riding two abreast", meaning when it was safe to do so.
.
I have been carved up by vehicles MANY times when riding safely and legally 2 abreast AND when riding alone.
.
Would you now like me to quote the law to you about how drivers should drive?
.
I don't need the law quoted, I am well aware of the law - in detail.
.
It is a pity all road users don't comply with it.
.
And just as an aside, if 2 cyclists are riding 2 abreast that is not justification for a vehicle to carve them up or force its way past. Two wrongs.... etc.
.
'Stated cases' have shown that it does NOT mean that a vehicle should never have to slow down and perhaps wait behind the cyclists. Such legal cases show that cyclists should not ride 2 abreast if it would be dangerous to do so; when the road is narrow; when the traffic is heavy or when to do so would hinder other traffic for an unreasonable length of time.
.
If a vehicle has to slow and wait behind for a few seconds before overtaking, that is what it should do - as shown in such stated cases, by law.
.
But of course, that's not acceptable for tear-arse drivers, is it. Tuf!

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