*Ping to all London Commuters

il_principe

Guys and girls - as I'm sure you are aware there have been two very serious incidents at Blackfriars this week, one serious injury, one fatality. IMHO Blackfriars has been a black spot for far too long and the facilities for cyclists around there (and indeed across most of London) are badly planned and integrated.

Now there is a lot of experience on this forum and I like to think most of us know what we are doing on a bike. I'm planning on penning an email to the Mayor today pointing out the situation at Blackfriars and suggesting that TFL or the LDA (or whoever is responsible) makes an effort to make use of London cycle commuter’s knowledge and experience. I don't know about you but I would appreciate the opportunity to voice my concerns/ideas regarding cycle facilities in the capital - and I'm sure that between us all there's the ability to get something constructive done. I'm not sure if city planners ever consult cyclists but given how badly planned most facilities are, I'm not convinced that they do.

Anyway I'm waffling but please consider dropping old Boris an email when you have a moment, perhaps if enough of us do then we can get something changed for the better. After all Boris is a cyclist himself... Cheers all. Jash

Greg T

I'm in JB.

Blackfriars has enough hazards to make it challenging even to the experienced cyclist who rides it every day.

Sewinman

Would not a critical mass type slow ride during a rush hour have more impact?

biondino

Boris is a self-serving RLJing c*** of the highest order and I have no faith in him to do anything whatsoever worthwhile. I'd strongly suggest any correspondence you do enter into isn't solely sent to him but CCed to TFL, :DA, Sustrans or any other body you think would be helpful.

coshgirl66

I have already contacted the City Hall cycling group and Jenny Jones regarding this issue last week, after the Friday incident on Blackfriars Bridge and the previous Monday's fatality on Holloway Road. Am planning to go on next Friday's CM - maybe something could be done to highlight the issue then?

il_principe

Sewinman wrote:

Would not a critical mass type slow ride during a rush hour have more impact?

No, it just serves to further irritate motorists. I think constructive protest is the order of the day. I'm not a big fan of CM to be honest.

_Brun_

Sewinman wrote:

Would not a critical mass type slow ride during a rush hour have more impact?

It would be infiltrated by militant crusties, and just antagonise/ize people even more.

cjcp

Greg T wrote:

I'm in JB.

Blackfriars has enough hazards to make it challenging even to the experienced cyclist who rides it every day.

Jash - me too. Why don't we send a joint letter/email?

Sewinman

Fair enough - i am just always a little suspect of email campiagns and their effect, if any.

il_principe

Me too but is has to be worth a try? I also think that receiving emails from multiple people that are all worded differently is far more powerful than a petition or indeed loads of people sending the same email, with a different sig each time!

Sewinman

jashburnham wrote:

Me too but is has to be worth a try? I also think that receiving emails from multiple people that are all worded differently is far more powerful than a petition or indeed loads of people sending the same email, with a different sig each time!

True and I suppose its the least we can do considering someone has lost a life. Good shout.

Coriander

jashburnham wrote:

Me too but is has to be worth a try? I also think that receiving emails from multiple people that are all worded differently is far more powerful than a petition or indeed loads of people sending the same email, with a different sig each time!

Jash, you're right - I work with policy-makers and they do respond much more to individually worded, signed and sent letters or emails.

Coriander

jashburnham wrote:

Me too but is has to be worth a try? I also think that receiving emails from multiple people that are all worded differently is far more powerful than a petition or indeed loads of people sending the same email, with a different sig each time!

Jash, you're right - I work with policy-makers and they do respond much more to individually worded, signed and sent letters or emails.

biondino

Rather than duplicated ones eh

moconnor01

Agree with the above ..... I think that taking over the streets tends to get viewed by the public and policy makers as a stunt and an annoyance, rather than a constructuve thing ...... whether you ride, walk, jog, catch public transport or drive... no one deserves to be injured/killed on their journeys

Coriander

biondino wrote:

Rather than duplicated ones eh

Behave, young man! You know what I meant.

Bassjunkieuk

I agree to, I think something has to be done - especially considering the emphasis that TFL and the mayor want us to believe is being done with regards to encouraging cycling.

If I'm not mistaken the Freewheel this Sunday is actually going past there, so it would be a good chance to check out the surface without the hazards of cars or artic's or maybe wearing black armbands as a mark of respect?

Littigator

Perhaps people should be encouraged to dismount over this section of the course and walk their bike past the site as a sign of condolences etc and to draw attention to the danger of the area.

Kind of like the CM slow/mo protest someone suggested but without having to annoy other road users.

Bassjunkieuk

Littigator wrote:

Perhaps people should be encouraged to dismount over this section of the course and walk their bike past the site as a sign of condolences etc and to draw attention to the danger of the area.

Kind of like the CM slow/mo protest someone suggested but without having to annoy other road users.

Sounds like a good idea, especially considering probably 60% of the people on the ride won't be regular commuters, the rest will be regular cyclists/club members if last year is anything to go by - unfortunately last year the underpass was one of the area's the organizers used as a "fun area" as they got everyone to ring their bells going through it. This year it would just seem inappropriate to do something like that where someone died earlier in the week.

Clever Pun

good idea Jash... I think I might knock something up and send it on

a few letters to papers might also work?

Maybe finishing in

regardless of your opinion of cyclists no-one deserves to die on their way to work

that should defuse the anti cycling lot or make them sound like utter @ssholes

il_principe

Clever Pun wrote:

good idea Jash... I think I might knock something up and send it on

Something from Essex perhaps

On a serious note, I've emailed Boris. Doubt I'll get a response but it's worth a punt.

cjcp

Another email going off to the Mayor's office shortly too.

Littigator

what email addresses do you send these to, I am happy to also send something but would be best to know who to correspond with

Ta

cjcp

mayor@london.gov.uk

woodford2barbican

sent an email. mentioned the blackfriars and islington ones last week & the two today & that the death today was 8th this year.

gabriel959

If someone writes a standard letter and posts it here that would help masses for the armchair activists like me!

SmellTheGlove

Snail mail, in the post, right now. Such a sad day; as for the drivers involved, their lives have also changed for good.

Boris Johnson
Mayor of London
Greater London Authority
City Hall
The Queen's Walk
More London
London SE1 2AA

According to Mayor's website:

"Please note that transport related queries will be referred to Transport for London (TfL) for them to reply."

so more than likely that's where any correspondence will end up. I headed my letter "Public health" because if anything I have less faith in TfL than even BJ.

Sorry that the practicalities seem so banal.

moonio

Here is my angry email, apologies for any poor grammar etc.

Please see my letter of complaint about cyclists safety on London roads.

Last Friday I was horrified to see a woman under a truck on Blackfriars Bridge, I have been unable to ride my bike ever since due to fear of losing my life, but today decided to ride to my local supermarket. However having just logged into bikeradar.com I have been saddened to read of another cyclists fatality on Upper Thames Street and this has once again put me off riding my bike.

Both these incidents involved heavy goods vehicles on badly designed and maintained roads and I would question why these heavy vehicles are on busy city streets during peak time in the first place. They should be excluded from using the roads during rush hour.
This government is constantly advising people to take up cycling and has recently glowed in the reflected glory of our successful Olympic cyclist team, BUT YOU DO NOT SEEM TO CARE LESS ABOUT IMPROVING CYCLING INFRASTRUCTURE ON CITY ROADS!!!.

We need to completely rethink the current cycling lane system (or lack of) and give cyclists equal priority on the roads or safe segregated lanes which are properly designed and maintained. A bit of paint on the side of the road which is full of pot holes, drains and dangerous traffic calming structures is NOT ENOUGH!!!!

If you want to encourage more people to cycle, you have a duty of care to those people and should not be leading them into death traps!!! Take a visit to other cycling cities such as Amsterdam and Copenhagen, INVEST SOME CASH into improving cyclist safety.

Why should cars be given so much importance on our roads, they are killing machines in terms of collisions, air pollution, climate change and poor health of drivers due to lack of exercise. We should be way more forward thinking in our approach to transport, why is Britain so far behind other countries in this respect?? IS MONEY MORE IMPORTANT TO YOU THAN HUMAN LIVES???

lost_in_thought

I think this is a great idea, a well-worded, considered email would be just the ticket. I wonder if they would be open to the suggestion of having a consulting group of cyclists on possible improvements, it would certianly be a 'good thing' for their green london doodah.

Will be writing in when I've gone through my emails.... obviously this forum took priority over those!

il_principe

Well I've had a response from my email to the mayor (sent on 18 September). I'll copy the reply below, but what amazes me is that TFL claim they consult London Cycling Campaign (LCC) and other cycle representatives when implementing new facilities. Not sure who these other representatives are, but if LCC's advice is being taken for much of these new facilities then I think LCC might want to take a long hard look at themselves IMO. Of course that's assuming that TFL actually take heed of the advice, I'm not sure they do. Still good to have a response.

"Dear Mr Ashburnham

Thank you for your email of 18th September giving your views about cycling facilities in London.

London Cycling Campaign (LCC) and other cycle representatives are consulted at preliminary and detailed design stages on most cycle infrastructure schemes as part of Transport for London's ( TfL's) consultation procedures. On the Blackfriars Bridge scheme, we worked closely with the LCC representative on agreeing the final scheme. TfL's Cycling Centre of Excellence is also able to give input to all designs, and most, if not all, members of that team are regular cyclists. More and more of our scheme designers are themselves cyclists.

We do welcome any comments about existing or required cycle facilities, although we do not have a formal system for consulting individuals, relying on representative groups for their input. I have passed your comments to our team so that they can note your comments.

I trust that I have addressed your query, if you have any further comments, please do contact me.

Yours sincerely

Joanna Croom

Customer Services Advisor - London Streets

Transport for London

Surface Transport Communications"

lost_in_thought

That seems like such a brush-off to me, reads a little like a form letter where they have inserted your name, the scheme and the date. Very frustrating.

I don't know if you are interested in continuing with this, seeing as they don't seem to be that worried about 'addressing your query', but I'd send this on to the LCC and see what they have to say on the matter.

I never heard back from my note, sent by snail mail. :roll: