Fatality prompts call for more cycle lanes in Lancashire town

Cycle campaigners in Cleveleys, near Blackpool, are calling for greater provision of cycle lanes in the town after an 83-year-old woman was fatally injured after being hit by a car while riding her bike on Thursday afternoon.

Barbara Taylor was cycling along Kelso Avenue when she was struck by a Citroën C3 car driven by a 24-year-old man turning out of Conway Avenue. She died in Blackpool Victoria Hospital the following evening as a result of head injuries.

Lancashire Constabulary told road.cc this afternoon that no charges have yet been brought as a result of the incident, although a detailed investigation is under way.

According to the Blackpool Gazette, a local cycling group is now calling for more cycle lanes to be introduced in Cleveleys, which currently has just one such facility, and that on the edge of town.

Peter Shuttleworth, chairman of the Cleveleys Road Club, told the newspaper: "It's extremely sad an 83-year-old, who still cycled, has died in this way.”

He added: “Cycle safety is so important, as the cyclist will always come off worse in a road accident. There is only one cycle lane in Cleveleys, and that's on Rossall Road, on the outskirts.”

Mr Shuttleworth continued: "The area is rapidly turning into a very popular cycling spot, especially after Blackpool was made into cycling town.”

Last year, Blackpool launched the UK’s first large-scale cycle hire scheme with the help of a £1 million investment by Cycling England, Blackpool NHS and the local council as part of an initiative to get more people cycling in the seaside resort.