Legal News

The London Mayor’s Office and Transport for London (TfL) have announced that 33 major roundabouts which are part of London’s gyratory system are to be demolished to help prevent injuries in road traffic accidents (RTAs) among cyclists and pedestrians.

The initiative will see “1960s relic” gyratory systems removed, in place of segregated lanes for cyclists on some of London’s busiest roads.

The move follows a rising tide of fatal cycle accidents on the capital’s roads in recent months. Last year, some of the changes announced yesterday (26/02/14) were published in the Mayor’s Cycling Vision.

The London Cycling Campaign says that the announcement “vindicates” the actions of those who have supported the group’s campaign to make cycling in London safer.

A total of 150 cyclists have been killed at the 33 junctions involved in the £300 million scheme to make London’s road safer for cyclist and pedestrians.

At many major junctions it is not possible for cyclists or pedestrians to use side streets to avoid the dangers of busy junctions – and roundabouts such as Bow roundabout have become notoriously dangerous for cyclists because of fast-moving HGVs, which may have a blind spot where cyclists cannot be seen.

Some of the junctions which will be made safer include major intersections such as King’s Cross, Hammersmith, Vauxhall, Archway, Swiss Cottage, Wandsworth and Aldgate, as well as the Bow roundabout.

Campaigners have called for lorries and HGVs to be banned from central London during rush hour – but the economic impact of this may prove prohibitive. Other proposals include improving lorry drivers’ visibility by adding full-length windows to cab doors.

Most cycle campaigners have called for segregated cycle routes, however – and especially in the light of the introduction of “Boris bikes”, which may be taken out on London’s busy roads by cyclists who lack experience in negotiating London’s roads or busy traffic.

London Mayor Boris Johnson is himself a cyclist – and regularly cycles to his office on London’s South Bank from Islington in north London.

In November 2011, he provoked a backlash when he said that one of the roundabouts about to be demolished – Elephant and Castle – was perfectly negotiable “if you keep your wits about you”.

The Elephant and Castle roundabout is thought to have London’s highest casualty rate for cyclists.

Announcing the road safety improvement scheme, the Mayor said:

“These road junctions are relics of the sixties, which blight and menace whole neighbourhoods.

“Like so much from that era, they’re also atrociously designed and wasteful of space.

“Because of that, we can turn these junctions into more civilised places for cyclists and pedestrians – while at the same time maintaining their traffic function.”

It is thought the exact plans for redesigning the 33 junctions will be unveiled in April – with work commencing in the second half of 2014.

Duncan Lewis Personal Injury Solicitors for RTAS

Duncan Lewis is a leading firm of personal injury solicitors and can advise on making a no win no fee compensation claim for Road Traffic Accidents and injuries, if the accident was the fault of another driver, road user or other party.

Claims for injuries in road traffic accidents can be made by motorists, as well as motorbike riders, cyclists, pedestrians and passengers in cars.

RTA injuries which can be claimed for include fractures, whiplash injuries – or catastrophic or life changing injuries such as brain injury.

For expert legal advice on making a no win no fee claim for road traffic accident injuries, contact Duncan Lewis personal injury solicitors on 020 7923 4020.