Researchers at the Royal London Hospital in east London are asking cyclists in London to use an app to help them record cycle crashes and “near misses” so they can build a database of the city’s most dangerous roads and junctions.
The Evening Standard newspaper reports that the hospital has saved 660 cyclists who have been critically injured in accidents in the capital over the last 10 years – being classed as critically injured means that a patient has a 50-50 chance of survival.
Cycle casualties have risen by nearly 400 in the last 10 years. Last year, four cyclists were killed on London’s roads – one of these was a nursing assistant at the hospital.
The team at the Royal London Hospital are being backed by cyclist and TV journalist Jon Snow – it is hoped the results of the database will lead to safety improvements on London’s roads and at dangerous junctions.
The app – being called the “Bespoke” study – is the idea of a group of A&E doctors and orthopaedic surgeons who are cyclists themselves and have suffered injury on London’s roads.
The project is the flagship scheme under the Barts Charity safe cycling appeal, due to be launched on 29 September.
The doctors decided to take action after the “unacceptable” rise in the number of cyclists being injured or killed in the capital, despite the introduction of new cycle lanes under the London Mayor’s “cycle superhighway” road scheme.
The Royal London has the UK’s busiest trauma centre and is where the capital’s Air Ambulance is stationed.
The database is the first of its kind to collect specific data about non- fatal collision and the effect of these on cyclists and other road users.
The aim is gather “clear evidence” to add to the debate on road safety – the researchers feel that much of this is currently influenced by “speculation and politics”, as opposed to the actual daily experiences of cyclists on London’s roads.
The director of development at Barts Charity, Belinda Dee said:
“Although most cycling incidents are preventable, the data is appalling. What we do know is limited to the most serious incidents only.
“The ultimate aim of the Bespoke project is to reduce casualties.”
TV journalist Jon Snow said:
“The innovative Bespoke data project led by researchers in London’s biggest emergency department is key to unlocking data which is currently lacking from the debate about cycle safety in London.
“I urge all London cyclists to get involved.”
Other information the researchers want cyclists to submit includes:
• Riding conditions at the time of an accident
• Length of time it takes to recover from any injuries
• Whether a cyclist injured in an accident felt able to get back in the saddle
More details are available at the Bespoke website.
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