Cycling groups have welcomed a new training programme for lorry drivers going to and from the Crossrail development.
Crossrail estimates that 3,500 professional drivers will receive safety awareness training on how to reduce their risk to cyclists during the seven years it will take to construct the new rail network.
Lorries involved in the project will also be fitted with blind spot mirrors which allow lorry drivers to see the area in front of the driver’s cab and have been proven to reduce accidents with cyclists and pedestrians.
Last year, nine out of 13 cyclists who died on London roads collided with a Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV).
Emily Thornberry, MP for Islington South and Finsbury and vice chair of the All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group, welcomed the news.
“Crossrail is great news for London but the increase in dangerous HGVs trundling through central London is a cause for concern for cyclists and pedestrians.
“I met Crossrail last year to demand safety mirrors and cycle awareness training so I am absolutely delighted that Crossrail have listened,” she said.
John Ackers from Islington Cyclists Action Group was also pleased that measures are being taken to ensure the safety of cyclist’s.
“It’s fantastic as cyclists are often hit by lorries. Large vehicles are a big problem in general, especially those turning left, and several women have been killed,” he said.
Charlie Lloyd, Cycling Development Officer from the London Cycling Campaign, stressed the importance of this action for Islington.
“There will be 500 extra journeys by 32-tonne lorries per day in London during the Crossrail development and a lot of them will be using roads such as Pentonville Road in Islington. These are some of the busiest cycle routes in the country with up to 1,000 cyclists per hour using the roads.
“Cycling groups lobbied parliament when the Crossrail development was being debated, and they accepted that they should do everything that they could to help to ensure the safety of cyclists.”
However, he would still like to see more done to make streets safer for cyclists.
“Every professional driver should have cyclist awareness training. We would also like to see large vehicle drivers put on bikes so that they can see for themselves what it is actually like for cyclists on the roads.
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