Stop Killing Cyclists launches Safer Cycling Challenge for London Mayoral campaign

The Stop Killing Cyclists campaign group has launched a Safer Cycling Challenge aimed at those hoping to become Mayor of London. The organisation is asking each of the candidates to give their views on ten different topics, each of which is geared towards improving the safety of cyclists.

The challenge goes under the name ’10 by 2020’ and a number of candidates have already responded, including Sian Berry, Syed Kamal, Caroline Pidgeon, David Lammy and Christian Wolmar. All responses can be found on Stop Killing Cyclists’ 10 by 2020 Facebook thread.

Stop Killing Cyclists co-founder Donnachadh McCarthy said:

“Any mayoral candidate serious about tackling the shocking scandal of over 12,000 transport related deaths each year and the hundreds of thousands of Londoners living with terrible transport related diseases will back our “10 for 2020” Cycling Safety Challenge.

“At the core of our ten mayoral cycling safety challenges is our demand that 10% of the TfL budget must be allocated to cycling infrastructure by 2020. The current pathetic 1.4% of the budget being spent on cycling safety is an insult to those dying every day from collisions, pollution and inactivity diseases.”

The 10 points are as follows.

1. 10% BY 2020: Will you commit to investing 10% of TfL budget on cycling infrastructure by 2020, building up each year from current minuscule 1.4%?

2. END HGV/BUS BLIND SPOT: Will you require full blind-spot safety equipment (Left Hand Side CCTV and alarms) to be installed in all existing and new HGVs, buses, coaches and Tipper Trucks entering London?

3. MINI-HOLLANDS FOR ALL: Will you fund a Mini-Holland Programme for all London Boroughs within your first term?

4. PHYSICALLY PROTECTED CYCLE-LANES: Will you support a comprehensive grid of Go-Dutch standard physically protected cycle-routes across the TfL road network to enable people of all ages and abilities to cycle safely?

5. LONDON 20 MPH ZONE: Will you support a 20mph speed limit across London (excluding motorways)?

6. SAFER LEFT HAND TURNS – EMERGENCY PROGRAMME + IDAHO LAW: Will you support the introduction of the Idaho law, allowing cyclists to turn left when traffic is free at junctions, with full legal priority for pedestrians, when doing so and support an emergency programme of installing safe protected left-hand turns at a minimum of the 500 junctions that were originally promised to be reviewed by Boris Johnson by the end of your first term? (NB These were subsequently cut to 33)

7. END LETHAL TIME PRESSURES ON BUSES/TIPPER TRUCKS: Will you end the lethal paid by timed delivery regimes for HGVs in the construction industry and end dangerous system of paying for bus performance by contracted Excess Waiting Time Targets?

8. SQUARES AND STREETS FIT FOR HUMANS: Will you support a programme of making our beautiful major squares and shopping streets fit for humans, by closing them to motorised transport, including Oxford Street, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly, Parliament Square, Bank Junction, etc ?

9. TWO TfL BOARD PLACES FOR CYCLISTS: Will you appoint two cycling representatives to the TfL Board, nominated by cycling groups and change its name to the London Cycling, Walking and Transport Authority?

10. TIPPER TRUCK BAN: Will you ban tipper trucks at rush hour and introduce a scheme whereby electric delivery trucks bring in goods from HGVs parked in outer London, into central London and promote cargo bikes for last mile deliveries?