Road Safety Week runs until Sunday and the GBG is saying that all road users should be seen, and should look out for each other. The group’s chairman, Philip Le Poidevin, said cyclists should wear reflective clothing and ensure bike lights are fully operational.
‘We would like people to be aware how hard it is to see people on the road at night when they’re wearing dark clothes. As well as lights it’s important to wear a hi-vis jacket or something reflective, especially something on your hands so that when your hands are out to turn, people can see you signalling.’
With the winter nights drawing in, the advice to motorists is to look out for cyclists, especially when turning, give cyclists at least 1.5m space when passing, and always check both ways when opening a car door.
Daniel Thwaite, the events organiser for the GBG, said there are more cyclists on the roads and they need room.
‘Every day it seems that more and more people are taking up cycling, whether it’s e-bikes or regular bikes. If you’re a passing a cyclist think of the distance it takes to safely overtake, you’ve got to give them space but it also takes a certain length of tarmac to get around them.’
Ben Craddock, committee member of the GBG, said being extra vigilant was even more important in the winter.
‘One of the greatest dangers for both drivers and cyclists is cars overtaking bikes when there isn’t space or oncoming traffic.
‘No journey is more than a few miles, and the average traffic speed is around 15mph, so waiting behind cyclists until it’s safe to pass generally adds so little time to a journey.’
The Health Improvement Commission has endorsed the message from the GBG.
Active travel officer Alex Costen said it was working with schools to promote active travel, and safety was a common concern among parents.
‘The commission is keen to see the reduction in speed limits and other safety measures near schools, as research elsewhere finds clear evidence that decreased speed limits reduce collisions and casualties.’
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