West Midlands roads averaging more than one cyclist injury a day

A freedom of information request by the Birmingham Post has revealed that there were 1,537 injury incidents involving cyclists in the West Midlands in the last three years. Of those, 12 were fatal and 273 resulted in serious injuries. Campaigners have reacted to the news by calling for a greater number of segregated cycle lanes.

The A41 Warwick Road was found to be the road on which there were most incidents with 49 cyclists having been injured on it in the last three years.

Two junctions – Pershore Road and Belgrave Middleway, near Birmingham city centre, and Heartlands Parkway and Aston Church Road, in the west of the city – each saw six collisions involving cyclists.

The Post also claims that the figures do not include a further 2,000 incidents which have yet to be loaded onto the system. Professor David Cox, chairman of council for CTC, said the figures emphasised the need for segregated cycle routes

“At the moment none of the roads highlighted have good continuous segregated cycle lanes and little else in the way of cycling infrastructure.

“The main dangers to cyclists are at junctions where drivers pull out without regard to on-coming cyclists, roundabouts, especially big ones, where drivers are busy switching lanes and may not see or have regard to slow moving cycles and the notorious “left hook” from lorry and bus drivers turning left and crushing kerb hugging cyclists.

“Motorists still drive too close when overtaking cyclists and some have little respect for speed limits, advanced stop lines or parking regulations.”

Cox believes that the £24 million Birmingham Cycle Revolution plans will result in improvements along a number of major corridors.

According to council figures, around half of the money being spent will go towards work on main roads. However, the leader of the Conservative opposition on Birmingham City Council believes that rather than creating segregated cycle lanes, the money would be better spent on improving paths through parks and along towpaths to keep cyclists off the roads.