MAYOR MUST ACT TO PROTECT PEDESTRIANS
Published in 'Your Letters' Ealing Gazette Friday 13 December 2013For safety’s sake stay off pavementsIn response to London Assembly member Jenny Green’s call for Boris Johnson to act to protect cyclists on London’s roads [“Mayor must act to protect cyclists” letters Friday 6 December], will she also call on him to stop cyclists taking to the pedestrian pavements ‘for their own safety’. NO CYCLING signs on lamp posts would be a cheap and effective way to start (see below).However cyclists are viewed by other road users they are in law an anti-social and criminal menace when they ride on the pedestrian pavements. Under Section 72 of the Highways Act 1835 pedal cycles are defined as carriages, to be ridden only on the carriageways. Rule 64 of the Highway Code defines pavement cycling as a NO-NO!Following the recent deaths of cyclists in London the Metropolitan Police appear to be monitoring more closely the behaviour of cyclists on the roads, and the behaviour of other road users towards cyclists. They should at the same time crack down on any cyclists riding on the pavement, which is a criminal offence in itself no matter how the rider behaves while doing so.Certainly a default 20mph speed limit on the capital’s streets would make a significant contribution to cycling safety by reducing the speed differential between cyclists and other road traffic.Tony Purton Ealing Copied to: 'James.Ayling@met.police.uk'; Adrian.Hanstock@met.police.uk'; ODonnellN@ealing.gov.uk; bassam.mahfouz@ealing.gov.uk; 'andrew.gilligan@london.gov.uk'; 'onkar.sahota@london.gov.uk'; 'steve.pound.mp@parliament.uk'; 'angie.bray.mp@parliament.uk'Personal reply from Jenny Bond: "In response to your comments about cycling on pavements, it makes me very angry when cyclists break the law because it is dangerous, disrespectful to pedestrians and gives a bad name to those cyclists who don’t break the rules." See also previous postings: Page 6: PAVEMENT CYCLING; PAVEMENTS ARE FOR PEDESTRIANS; PAVEMENTS ARE FOR PEDESTRIANS – 2. Page 5: PAVEMENTS ARE FOR PEDESTRIANS – 3THE RESPONSIBLE AUTHORITIES TO CONTACT ARE:Ealing’s Community Police Team mailto: James.Ayling@met.police.uk Tel: 020 8246 9406 Met Police HQ: Commander Adrian Hanstock head of the Met Police Safer Transport Command mailto: Adrian.Hanstock@met.police.uk Tel: 020 3054 0293 London Cycling Commissioner Andrew Gilligan [mailto: andrew.gilligan@london.gov.uk], responsible for implementing London Mayor Boris Johnson’s ‘Vision for Cycling in London’ London Assembly: Ealing and Hillingdon member Dr Onkar Sahota mailto: onkar.sahota@london.gov.uk Tel: 020 7983 6558 Ealing Council: Assistant Director of Strategic Transport Nick O’Donnell mailto: ODonnellN@ealing.gov.uk Tel: 020 8825 8078 Ealing Council Cabinet: Member for Transport and Environment Councillor Bassam Mahfouz is mailto: Mahfouz@ealing.gov.uk Tel: 07949 104 656Ealing Ward Councillors:Councillor Isobel Grant Isobel.grant@ealing.gov.uk Councillor John Popham John.popham@ealing.gov.uk Councillor Greg Stafford Gregory.stafford@ealing.gov.ukEaling Conservative Action TeamRosa Popham rpopham@btinternet.com Ian Proud ianproud@ip-associates.demon.co.uk
Tony Purton ● 4492d5 Comments