• 

London’s cycling commissioner has recently said that roundabouts in the style of those used in the Netherlands to separate cyclists from motorists could be implemented in London as soon as next year.

Trials of the layout are taking place at a research laboratory in Berkshire.

However, as they stand the roundabouts do not yet meet all regulatory requirements.

But Andrew Gilligan said if the trials continued to go well they could be seen in 2014.

The new layout will give priority to cyclists, and will also make cyclists be in clear line of sight for the drivers.

The change will be welcomed by cyclists and organisations that support cycling, due to the currently dangerous conditions faced by cyclists in London.

In 2011 two cyclists died in the space of three weeks at the Bow roundabout in east London.

The roundabout trial, which has been going for six weeks and will end in July, forms part of the mayor of London’s Vision for Cycling.

Over 600 people have been involved so far and the effects on safety and capacity will be studied.

The influence of the roundabout on Lorries, buses and pedestrians will also be monitored.

Members of the public can participate in the trials.

Other ideas being tried include traffic lights with separate signals for cyclists.

Subject to the outcome of the trials, Transport for London (TfL) will work with the Department for Transport to try the roundabouts on the public highway.

TfL said improvements at Bow Roundabout and a 20mph speed limit at Waterloo roundabout were due to be delivered this summer as part of ongoing improvements.

• 

• 

Plans to build a new state of the art velodrome and sports arena in Derby have finally been put into action.

The new project will cost approximately £28m and will be funded by Sport England and Derby city council. The sports centre will include a gym and a 12-court sports hall as well as a 250m cycling track.

Concerns of over expenditure have resulted in some protest from Labour Councillors.

However the overall consensus was that the current state of the sports centres are not up to the modern standard and are in dire need of being replaced with a facility that will likely attract more Derby residents to sports and recreational activities.

The council is hoping that the velodrome will also work towards attracting more people to travelling throughout the city via cycling.

The project forms part of Derby’s £54m leisure plans for the city, which include the construction of a 50m pool next to the Riverlights complex, due to open in 2015, plus several smaller sports facilities.

A recent part of the project has just been completed: the park-and-ride facility adjacent to Pride Park, which allows residents with bicycles to park their car and cycle through the park.

The arena, which will double as a concert venue, will be built on wasteland to the south of Pride Park. It is expected to be completed by November 2014.

The council is marking the beginning of the construction by burying a time capsule, which will contain a Paralympic Team GB cycling jersey.

• 

• 

Cyclists in Scotland are now campaigning for safety improvements on roads, as well as motorists being held more accountable for accidents.

As it stands, the UK is a part of five countries in Europe that does not have laws based on “strict liability”.

Campaigners, including the mother of a 32-year-old Edinburgh man killed in a collision with a lorry in 2011, have argued that stricter regulations would improve road safety and be instrumental in cutting down road traffic accidents.

However, several motorists groups have said that the regulations are unfair, and that the cycling campaigners are in fact being “arrogant”.

Seven cyclists were killed and more than 150 were seriously injured on Scottish roads during 2011, according to Transport Scotland figures.

Under a strict liability law, motorists would be held responsible in the civil courts for all accidents involving cyclists unless they can provide proof that they are not the one who caused the accident.

Supporters of the Campaign for Strict Liability say it would greatly reduce the time it takes for accident victims to win compensation.

Lynda Myles Son was killed on a bike after a collision with a lorry commissioned by Edinburgh council, and she has now come out in full support of the law. However, opponents of the idea argue that accountability should be 50-50 until evidence is provided.

A strict liability law would see the introduction of a hierarchy based on the vulnerability of road users.

It would also result in cyclists being directly responsible for accidents with pedestrians.

Apart from the UK, only Cyprus, Malta, Romania and Ireland do not use the strict liability system.

The Campaign for Strict Liability: Road Share, has since launched an online petition, taking advantage of social media sites in order to raise awareness and support for the law.

They are hoping to introduce a private member’s bill into Scottish Parliament.

• 

• 

A group representing car users in London has reacted to the announcement of new plans, calling it “Simply Bonkers”.

Roger Lawson of the Alliance of British Drivers has said that the organisation is opposed to the new plans due to it favours cyclists.

However, national organisation the AA have expressed support for Mayor Johnson’s scheme to build a cycle path over 15 miles long.

President Edmund King said it would break down the “two tribes” attitude between drivers and cyclists.

The route, is scheduled to be open in 2016, and will run through the western suburbs, central London and Barking.

The plan is inspired by cycling schemes developed across Europe in areas such as Amsterdam, Barcelona and Paris, with the aim being to reduce traffic and double cycling over the next ten years.

The document outlining the plan is undoubtedly in favour of cyclists, stating the following:

• Nothing must reduce cyclists’ right to use any road.
• No lorry should be allowed in London unless it is fitted with safety equipment to protect cyclists, and driven by someone fully trained in cycle awareness.
• Timid, half-hearted improvements are out [re segregation] – we will do things at least adequately, or not at all.
• We will ask for new powers to carry out camera enforcement of mandatory cycle lanes, to stop cars driving in them.

The response from Mr Lawson of the Alliance of British Drivers was that Mr Johnson’s vision was “bonkers”.

However, supporters of the scheme, especially Mayor Johnson, argue that a series of dedicated cycle ways on busy roads such as Victoria Embankment would serve to make journeys easier for everybody, regardless of the vehicle they are driving.

Other organisations such as the RAC have welcomed the changes, however they are unsure as to how the changes will affect the flow of traffic.

There is some worry that this will be the HS2 of cycling, and those who are opposed to the scheme are arguing that a series of smaller schemes may very well have worked better.

• 

• 

Residents of Oxford are now being encouraged to take advantage of the new cycle training, provided free by Oxford City Council. This is in order to help those who live in Oxford to navigate the invariably tricky travel routes within the city.

Oxford City Council has teamed up with Oxford County Council to create the scheme, with the overall goal being to “increase confidence on the road”.

Oxford travel authorities are enthusiastic about the new cycling scheme, with Councillor Colin Cook, when talking to the BBC, said the cycling lessons were “fantastic as they give people the confidence to cycle in Oxford which can be a challenging experience”.

The training also exists to encourage those who enjoy cycling to take it up as a regular means of travel, as they may have previously been too nervous to cycle through the city during traffic.

The scheme promises a brand new and much more real cycling experience, giving cyclists the ability to get to grips with navigating the traffic on short journeys and commutes, such 19^th of March through to the 30^th of April.

•