Personal Injury Solicitors

The London Mayor’s Cycling Commissioner Andrew Gilligan is calling fro a less “macho” approach by cyclists on London’s roads to try and help reduce road traffic accidents involving cyclists.

The Evening Standard newspaper reports that Mr Gilligan wants to introduce a “Continental culture” to cycling in the capital with “people of all ages riding clunky bikes in their ordinary clothes”.

Attempts to copy cycling schemes in other European cities such as Amsterdam have largely failed – Amsterdam has dedicated cycle lanes for cyclists and cycling in Amsterdam is a family affair, with people of all ages from the youngest to the oldest taking to their cycles in the city centre.

London is a much larger city with major traffic arteries running through it – including red routes and major roads carrying heavy traffic throughout the day and also at night.

Speaking at a London transport committee hearing, Mr Gilligan said, however, that cutting “wayward” cyclists could be achieved by introducing different types of cyclists to London’s roads. He added that the London Mayor’s cycle superhighways would help more people in London get on their bikes.

“Cycling is disproportionately young and male – and that’s because of the conditions,” said Mr Gilligan.

“I suppose those are the people who feel able to cycle. What I want to see from these changes – and I think we will see – is far more women doing it, far more older people doing it.”

Mr Gilligan went on to say that introducing different types of people cycling on London’s roads would reduce the “testosterone level” and “calm things down a bit “– as well as “change the culture of cycling a bit more towards what we see in Continental cities”.

Mr Gilligan said that in Continental cities it was possible to see “people of all ages riding quite slowly on quite clunky bikes in their ordinary clothes”.

He added that he did not support the idea of a cyclists’ registration scheme, however – saying it would be “disproportionate” and would “create an unnecessary bureaucracy and be a burden for the police”.

In 2011, more than 1,700 pedestrians were injured in accidents involving cars in London – and just nine pedestrians were injured in a collision with a cyclist in the capital.

London Mayor Boris Johnson – a keen cyclist himself – has already launched four cycling superhighways in the capital and more routes are to open by 2016.

Duncan Lewis Personal Injury Solicitors – Cycling Accident Claims/Road Traffic Accidents Claims

Duncan Lewis is a leading firm of personal injury solicitors and can advise anyone injured in a road traffic accident as a motorist, cyclist, pedestrian, passenger or motorcyclist on how to make no win no fee Cycle Accident Claims or Road Traffic Accident Claims.

Low-value road traffic accident (RTA) claims and cycling accident claims can be fast-tracked through the RTA Claims Portal.

High-value personal injury claims for serious or life-changing injuries sustained in road traffic accidents or cycle accidents can be made via the civil court on a no win no fee basis.

Claimants have three years from the date of injury in which to make compensation claims for cycle accident injuries or road traffic accident injuries. Children can make a compensation claim up to the age of 21.

Duncan Lewis can also advise professional drivers, cyclists and motorcyclists on how to claim compensation for injuries sustain in an RTA during the course of their work, if another road user or an employer is liable or negligent.

For expert legal advice on no win no fee Bicycle Accident Claims and Road Traffic Accident Claims, call Duncan Lewis personal injury solicitors on 020 7923 4020.