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Well, I'm disenchanted too. We're all disenchanted. -- James Thurber

aus+uk / uk.rec.cycling / Cyclists say they are in danger in 'car obsessed' Liverpool

Cyclists in Liverpool say they don't feel safe riding on the streets of a city that remains 'addicted to cars.'

When it comes to cycling casualties, Liverpool has a very poor record.

Between 2014 and 2018 the city recorded the highest number of cyclists killed or seriously injured on its roads of any metropolitan borough in the country.

It's not a record to be proud of and while local and regional authorities have promised to improve cycling infrastructure as part of plans to tackle the climate emergency, those currently heading out on two wheels say nowhere near enough is being done.

James Maloney is a photographer and cycling campaigner.

He said: "You're more than four times likely to die riding a bike in our city than somewhere like Wigan or Knowsley. That's a shocking statistic."

"Liverpool is a city that's addicted to cars. In 2019, 1.7 billion vehicle miles were travelled on our roads. We've got a train network that's nationally great, but it only serves part of the city and the bus network is equally as hamstrung."

"Vehicle miles in the city has been rising off the charts for the last decade, but the capacity hasn't increased. Since the start of the pandemic, confidence in public transport has tanked and this has probably risen further - all the more need for a greener alternative, but then there's no profit to be made from cycling."

James said he was hit twice in separate incidents when riding his bike in Liverpool in 2019, he added: "There's nothing more sobering than hearing and feeling your own head crack a car windscreen, so I won't cycle on main roads in built-up areas - especially at peak times."

He said the city and its council have made 'some efforts' to improve cycling infrastructure with schemes like Princes Avenue, The Strand and Regent Road - but said the system is far too fragmented.

He added: "Princes Avenue is a good example of this. As a community space, it looks pretty but as an active travel corridor then it completely ignores all the pre-existing safety aspects. Worse still, the council just slapped a bit of paint on the adjoining pavements, where there's no room for cyclists and pedestrians to get past one another."

There is a growing frustration amongst cyclists in and around Liverpool about the facilities in the city and what they see as a pro-car culture.

This feeling was not helped when the city council removed one lane of the West Derby Road cycle scheme, one of the pop up schemes brought in during the pandemic.

The council insists that this was only done because of the large sinkhole that appeared in Prescot Road and that they remain committed to active travel in the city.

The authority says it is working on a new temporary route, which could be implemented in the coming months.

Eike Weissman is a reader in film and television at Edge Hill University.

She commutes to work by bike and train and said she has found cycling amongst car drivers 'very scary' in Liverpool, with some overtaking at close range or not respecting her right of way.

She said: "I'm starting to worry about how my children will be able to get to school when they are old enough, my 4-year-old had a near miss recently with a car driver who stopped too late at a pedestrian crossing when the light was on red."

She said a major cultural change is needed in Liverpool, adding: "The city needs to take an approach that radically de-prioritises cars.

"This means creating a street infrastructure that is prioritising other road users including pedestrians and cyclists – as many cycle lanes as possible, as many broad pedestrian spaces as possible.

"Traffic management should be re-imagined to prioritise non-car users, this means being potentially very radical and keeping pedestrian crossings on green for pedestrians and turn them green for cars only when they approach.

"But also give pedestrians and cyclists safe ways of crossing all roads that are not a massive inconvenience for them

"There should be an education campaign that teaches drivers about the rights of non-car road users: that drivers have to give cyclists enough space when they overtake them, that drivers do not automatically have right of way."

With frustrations and concerns growing, a protest will be held by the Liverpool Cycling Campaign on September 25 at Liverpool's Pier Head.

A statement by the group said: "In 8 years, 1119 cyclists and pedestrians have been killed or seriously injured in Liverpool.

"That's one cyclist or pedestrian per kilometre. While some new cycle lanes have been installed, they often make cycling or walking more dangerous and have not created a coherent network."

The protest is being held to 'commemorate those injured and killed and to demand safer travel, making all roads and pavements safe to walk and cycle."

So what is being done and what do the authorities say?

Liverpool Council said it takes road safety 'extremely seriously' and said the number of accidents in recent years has hugely influenced its Better Roads plan, which is aimed addressing the needs of cyclists and pedestrians, installing more cycle lanes, upgrading junctions and signalling.

A spokesperson for the council said: "Major schemes such as the city centre connectivity programme have clearly set out to mitigate collisions by reducing junctions and installing permanent cycle lanes.

"Cyclists will share priority along The Strand, thanks to a new signalling system. The cycle lane is not yet complete but a temporary one is being installed to connect to the permanent one created under phase 1 of the works.

“In terms of Princes Avenue, highways engineers are reviewing this scheme and have already made alterations thanks to feedback from our cycling community.

“The council also works with a huge range of partners to promote active travel - be it by bike, foot, train or bus.

“The council has specifically been working with schools to encourage more parents to walk with their children, which includes parking a little further away from the school.

“The benefits in terms of physical exercise, less congestion and better air quality is massively important for the development by of healthy lungs in young people. The long term benefits are also considerable - and as we’ve all seen in the pandemic, those people with underlying respiratory issues were affected the worst.“

Earlier this year, Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram launched a campaign urging people to get on their bikes and consider cycling for short journeys as part of efforts to reduce emissions.

He previously announced a new network cycling and walking routes and took to twitter recently to explain more.

He said: "We're building a 600km network of new and improved walking and cycle routes - and through the work we're doing to take greater control of our transport network, we're making sure that it fits seamlessly with other forms of public transport."

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/cyclists-say-danger-car-obsessed-21537917

On Monday, 13 September 2021 at 17:46:32 UTC+1, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:
> Cyclists in Liverpool say they don't feel safe riding on the streets of a city that remains 'addicted to cars.'
>
> When it comes to cycling casualties, Liverpool has a very poor record.
>
> Between 2014 and 2018 the city recorded the highest number of cyclists killed or seriously injured on its roads of any metropolitan borough in the country.
>
> It's not a record to be proud of and while local and regional authorities have promised to improve cycling infrastructure as part of plans to tackle the climate emergency, those currently heading out on two wheels say nowhere near enough is being done.
>
> James Maloney is a photographer and cycling campaigner.
>
> He said: "You're more than four times likely to die riding a bike in our city than somewhere like Wigan or Knowsley. That's a shocking statistic."
>
> "Liverpool is a city that's addicted to cars. In 2019, 1.7 billion vehicle miles were travelled on our roads. We've got a train network that's nationally great, but it only serves part of the city and the bus network is equally as hamstrung."
>
> "Vehicle miles in the city has been rising off the charts for the last decade, but the capacity hasn't increased. Since the start of the pandemic, confidence in public transport has tanked and this has probably risen further - all the more need for a greener alternative, but then there's no profit to be made from cycling."
>
> James said he was hit twice in separate incidents when riding his bike in Liverpool in 2019, he added: "There's nothing more sobering than hearing and feeling your own head crack a car windscreen, so I won't cycle on main roads in built-up areas - especially at peak times."
>
> He said the city and its council have made 'some efforts' to improve cycling infrastructure with schemes like Princes Avenue, The Strand and Regent Road - but said the system is far too fragmented.
>
> He added: "Princes Avenue is a good example of this. As a community space, it looks pretty but as an active travel corridor then it completely ignores all the pre-existing safety aspects. Worse still, the council just slapped a bit of paint on the adjoining pavements, where there's no room for cyclists and pedestrians to get past one another."
>
> There is a growing frustration amongst cyclists in and around Liverpool about the facilities in the city and what they see as a pro-car culture.
>
> This feeling was not helped when the city council removed one lane of the West Derby Road cycle scheme, one of the pop up schemes brought in during the pandemic.
>
> The council insists that this was only done because of the large sinkhole that appeared in Prescot Road and that they remain committed to active travel in the city.
>
> The authority says it is working on a new temporary route, which could be implemented in the coming months.
>
> Eike Weissman is a reader in film and television at Edge Hill University.
>
> She commutes to work by bike and train and said she has found cycling amongst car drivers 'very scary' in Liverpool, with some overtaking at close range or not respecting her right of way.
>
> She said: "I'm starting to worry about how my children will be able to get to school when they are old enough, my 4-year-old had a near miss recently with a car driver who stopped too late at a pedestrian crossing when the light was on red."
>
> She said a major cultural change is needed in Liverpool, adding: "The city needs to take an approach that radically de-prioritises cars.
>
> "This means creating a street infrastructure that is prioritising other road users including pedestrians and cyclists – as many cycle lanes as possible, as many broad pedestrian spaces as possible.
>
> "Traffic management should be re-imagined to prioritise non-car users, this means being potentially very radical and keeping pedestrian crossings on green for pedestrians and turn them green for cars only when they approach..
>
> "But also give pedestrians and cyclists safe ways of crossing all roads that are not a massive inconvenience for them
>
> "There should be an education campaign that teaches drivers about the rights of non-car road users: that drivers have to give cyclists enough space when they overtake them, that drivers do not automatically have right of way."
>
> With frustrations and concerns growing, a protest will be held by the Liverpool Cycling Campaign on September 25 at Liverpool's Pier Head.
>
> A statement by the group said: "In 8 years, 1119 cyclists and pedestrians have been killed or seriously injured in Liverpool.
>
> "That's one cyclist or pedestrian per kilometre. While some new cycle lanes have been installed, they often make cycling or walking more dangerous and have not created a coherent network."
>
> The protest is being held to 'commemorate those injured and killed and to demand safer travel, making all roads and pavements safe to walk and cycle.."
>
> So what is being done and what do the authorities say?
>
> Liverpool Council said it takes road safety 'extremely seriously' and said the number of accidents in recent years has hugely influenced its Better Roads plan, which is aimed addressing the needs of cyclists and pedestrians, installing more cycle lanes, upgrading junctions and signalling.
>
> A spokesperson for the council said: "Major schemes such as the city centre connectivity programme have clearly set out to mitigate collisions by reducing junctions and installing permanent cycle lanes.
>
> "Cyclists will share priority along The Strand, thanks to a new signalling system. The cycle lane is not yet complete but a temporary one is being installed to connect to the permanent one created under phase 1 of the works..
>
> “In terms of Princes Avenue, highways engineers are reviewing this scheme and have already made alterations thanks to feedback from our cycling community.
>
> “The council also works with a huge range of partners to promote active travel - be it by bike, foot, train or bus.
>
> “The council has specifically been working with schools to encourage more parents to walk with their children, which includes parking a little further away from the school.
>
> “The benefits in terms of physical exercise, less congestion and better air quality is massively important for the development by of healthy lungs in young people. The long term benefits are also considerable - and as we’ve all seen in the pandemic, those people with underlying respiratory issues were affected the worst.“
>
> Earlier this year, Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram launched a campaign urging people to get on their bikes and consider cycling for short journeys as part of efforts to reduce emissions.
>
> He previously announced a new network cycling and walking routes and took to twitter recently to explain more.
>
> He said: "We're building a 600km network of new and improved walking and cycle routes - and through the work we're doing to take greater control of our transport network, we're making sure that it fits seamlessly with other forms of public transport."
>
> https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/cyclists-say-danger-car-obsessed-21537917

Typical Liverpool council member
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/watch-ex-liverpool-councillor-loses-cool-8287138

Subject	Author
Cyclists say they are in danger in 'car obsessed' Liverpool	swldx...@gmail.com
Re: Cyclists say they are in danger in 'car obsessed' Liverpool	Mike Collins
Re: Cyclists say they are in danger in 'car obsessed' Liverpool	swldx...@gmail.com
Re: Cyclists say they are in danger in 'car obsessed' Liverpool	Mike Collins
Re: Cyclists say they are in danger in 'car obsessed' Liverpool	JNugent
Re: Cyclists say they are in danger in 'car obsessed' Liverpool	TMS320