At today's march, LCC Trustee James Heath read the following Statement from Terry Patterson, Chair of London Cycling Campaign:
"We are here to mourn the loss of a member of our community, and to
call for change - and action. Only a few days ago, Claudia Manera died here in
Ealing. She was riding her bike on Uxbridge Rd, and a lorry collided with her.
It is a terrible thing to lose someone in this way - a brutal and appallingly
abrupt end to a life - and I want to pass on my heartfelt condolences to Claudia’s
family, friends and colleagues. I speak for everyone at London Cycling Campaign
to offer our deepest sympathy at this time.
Everyone who cycles cannot help but be
affected by this tragedy, and we must now be looking with even greater concern
at the absence of protected space on our roads.
It would be wrong to comment on the details
of this case, but the general pattern is grimly familiar to activists across
London. Yet again a cyclist is involved in a fatal collision with a lorry. Yet
again calls by campaigners to make that collision site safe for active travel
have been ignored or sidelined. Too many times we have been asked to speak at
similar vigils across London over the years, when warning signs have been
obvious and councils alerted to the danger- but no action has been taken.
Today we call afresh for Ealing Council to
renew their commitment to active travel, and work with TfL to make this
junction and this road safe for vulnerable road users. You may have already
heard the figures that in the last five years 2 cyclists and 2 pedestrians have
been killed on this stretch of road and 46 more have suffered serious injuries.
In the dreadful but impartial language of cost:benefit transport policy, a
death has a financial impact to society of approx £2 million. Appallingly by the governments own data this
means that £8 million in 5 years has already been wasted- along with those
precious 4 lives -on just this stretch of road. We are paying a high price
indeed.....
The Uxbridge Rd where Claudia died is a
route already identified by TfL in its own analysis as one of the top 25 in
London for development. London Cycling Campaign therefore calls on Will Norman,
the Cycling and Walking Commissioner, to ensure that roads across London-
including Uxbridge Rd - offer protected space for cycling in line with the
Mayor’s promise to triple this protected space.
It is essential that the Mayor, as well as the boroughs, provide safe
space for cycling on major roads and hence separate lorries from cyclists. We
are working hard to hold them to account.
LCC won a commitment from the Mayor to make safer, Direct Vision lorries
"the norm" on London's streets; we are holding him to account, as
well as working directly with the industry, to help avoid tragedies like this.
I urge all those who live, work and study
in Ealing to sign the petition and support this important campaign. I would
like to thank all cyclists, pedestrians, drivers, runners, families, wheelchair
users and community members for coming today to show your support. Let
Claudia’s legacy be the activism you demonstrate today - enough is enough. No
more deaths and serious injuries on Uxbridge Road.
Thank you."
Terry Patterson
Chair
London Cycling Campaign
