![\"Commuters](\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/21\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1598765127-b926be1.jpg?quality=90&resize=619%2C413\" "\\"Commuters")
\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>Part of what stimulated this anger and these thoughts was a simple game of what if: what if I had left the house later or earlier, not stopped at certain points on my ride, or carried on at others?<\/p>\n
What if the road I was cycling along when the collision happened had a cycle lane? What if the likelihood of me negotiating that space on the road with a car had been reduced?<\/p>\n
Transport for London (TfL) published its official road safety data for 2022<\/a> in May, showing that 101 people lost their lives on the roads of the city, and seven of those were cyclists.<\/p>\n TfL says fatalities on London roads were up 35 per cent compared to 2021. However, it highlights fatalities were down 18 per cent and 58 per cent when compared to the averages of 2017-19 and 2005-2009 respectively, periods not \u201cheavily affected by pandemic restrictions and changes to travel plans\u201d.<\/p>\n The charity Cycling UK has also shared that cyclist fatalities hit the lowest number in 30 years in 2022, with a 24 per cent drop in the rate of cyclist fatalities per billion miles cycled in 2022 compared to pre-pandemic levels.<\/p>\n Cycling UK believes a number of initiatives, such as liveable neighbourhoods and updates to the Highway Code, may be part of the reason behind the decrease in cyclist fatalities.<\/p>\n Sarah Mitchell, Cycling UK\u2019s chief executive, said at the news of this 30-year low: \u201cThese figures prove the tragic death toll on our roads isn\u2019t inevitable.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cProving cause and effect is always difficult, but over the last two years, a number of measures have been introduced to make roads safer, such as an updated Highway Code, wider roll-out of 20mph zones, and interventions to reduce through traffic in residential areas. It is likely a combination of these contributed to last year\u2019s reduction in cyclist deaths,\u201d Mitchell added.<\/p>\n Despite these promising figures, cyclists are still over-represented in fatalities and injuries on the road. To combat this, Cycling UK says we need the infrastructure to keep cyclists \u2013 and pedestrians \u2013 safe. This is a view shared by TfL in its road safety data report, where it says \u201cclearly there is a need to continue to roll-out safe cycle infrastructure\u201d.<\/p>\n This is why the recent funding cuts, debates and culture wars around cycling are so blood-boiling.<\/p>\n In March, the government announced cuts to cycling, which included a reduction of funding for cycle lanes and other infrastructure by 75 per cent in England, from \u00a3200 million per year to \u00a350 million.<\/p>\n Since then, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has whipped up a culture war around transport, ordering a review of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods and not supporting the expansion of London\u2019s ultra-low emission zone (Ulez).<\/p>\n The Conservatives\u2019 narrow win in the Uxbridge by-election was seen as helped by residents\u2019 opposition to the expansion of Ulez by London\u2019s Labour mayor Sadiq Khan. The winner of the by-election, Steve Tuckwell, campaigned not as Conservative but as the \u201canti-Ulez candidate\u201d.<\/p>\n Now, Sunak\u2019s \u201cplan for motorists<\/a>\u201d is expected to limit the number of 20mph speed restrictions and favour drivers over bus passengers.<\/p>\nThe culture war is blood-boiling<\/h2>\n
![\"LONDON,](\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/21\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1684894398-db3da56.jpg?quality=90&resize=619%2C413\" "\\"LONDON,")
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