Media Watch – 2nd January 2015

Two days into 2015 and first cycling letter has been printed in the Eastbourne Herald.

P Taylor asks about insurance for pedestrians if they hit a cyclist and how the proposed shared use pavement for Cavendish Avenue became an advisory cycle lane instead in the current proposals.

Dealing with Cavendish Avenue first, East Sussex County Council originally proposed the pavement on the south side of the road be converted for shared use. The reason being there wasn’t enough space for a cycle lane both sides of the roads, so they needed to travel on the same space in both directions.

Bespoke opposed this and instead asked about the possibility of the west to east side being given a mandatory cycle lane on the road, and those cyclists travelling east to west using the existing one way road down Dursley Road (behind Cavendish Avenue) instead of the pavement. ESCC investigated this and came up with the proposal for an advisory lane on Cavendish Avenue due to time and funding constraints.

As for pedestrian insurance, this is something often raised by those who are against or concerned about cycling in shared spaces, but it isn’t really needed. Mr Taylor is an elderly gentleman so probably feels threatened by cycles, but there really is no need to worry.

Figures put together by CTC show that on pavements / shared cycle paths, although there is a chance you may be killed by a cycle, you are 3250% more likely to be killed by a motor vehicle instead. Pedestrians are also 5674% more likely to be seriously injured by a motor vehicle than a cycle. This is on a space that Mr Taylor reminds us is primarily for pedestrians. The figures for the road itself are even higher. This is why motor vehicles have hefty third party insurance premiums and cyclists / pedestrians don’t. Accidents are thankfully rare.

P Taylor's Letter to the Eastbourne Herald

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