Police crackdown to improve cyclist safety in Shropshire

Cyclists were stopped during their commute to work and were given a lesson in visibility to help cut down on an increase in accidents.

Representatives of the Safer Roads Partnership, West Mercia Police and Telford & Wrekin Council were on hand in Dark Lane, Hinkshay, to offer advice and hand out free lights, bag covers and fluorescents.

Whether on foot or in the saddle, passers-by were impressed by the scheme. Chief among them was pensioner Mike Granger, who had to watch as his partner Jenniper Taylor was knocked down by a cyclist on the same road earlier this month.

He said: "I'm glad they're doing something. People need to be more visible. It's a fatal accident waiting to happen.

"We'd been out for a meal and were walking back. We were just laughing and talking when the cyclist came out of nowhere. He didn't have any lights on, no fluorescents – just total darkness. He peddled like mad, going a hell of a speed.

"He clipped her, knocked her right back, and she cracked her head on the pavement. She cut her head in two places, fractured her skull and had a bleed on the brain – I thought she'd died.

"She's still in hospital, but we don't know if there's going to be any permanent damage done. She certainly can't remember anything about the crash, because it all happened so quickly.

"What we need is traffic calming on this road. There's guys coming down here, racing around the car park, and we need more lighting. We need something done to this road. I still get the shivers when I come past here. It's so sad."

Vicky Bristow, communications manager for the Safer Roads Partnership, said: "We're finding that collisions involving cyclists and pedestrians are on the increase.

"Other collisions have managed to plateau out, but cyclists and pedestrians are the ones that are increasing.

"Whether that's because more people are out and about on their bikes choosing to commute instead of using the car or for other reasons, it's on the increase. We're giving out freebies to cyclists who are commuting to work to make them a little bit more visible on the road. We want to make cyclists a bit safer.

"There's a lot of shared walkways now, so it's not only making cyclists safer but pedestrians as well so that they can see cyclists coming."

Ms Bristow said that despite their good intentions, some people disagreed with what they were trying to do. The Safer Roads Partnership Twitter feed is regularly bombarded by people who don't feel they need to make themselves more visible.

She said: "I can't understand it. I cycle and I don't see the problem in making myself as visible as possible on the road.

"We have a few people who argue against what we do, people who say 'car drivers should be able to see me'. They're right, car drivers should be more aware, but what's the problem in making yourself more visible?"

PCSO Scott Ellis said: "We're here to raise awareness of road safety.

"Dark Lane is a popular cycle route, you've got links to the Silkin Way, the town park, off the town park you can get to various different areas. And we'll be catching people going to work in the morning.

"It's important to make sure you're visible on your bike to avoid being involved in a collision. It's all about safety.

"Being able to arrive at work safely is important, and so is getting home at the end of the day afterwards. That's what we're trying to get across to people. Many of them make efforts to make sure they are visible, but this is to highlight where they could improve."

Scott Edwards, 33, a factory worker in Donnington, wasn't expecting to be stopped during his morning commute.

The cyclist already had some of the equipment on offer, but the team soon provided him with more.

He said: "It's a very good thing that they're out here. I cycle through here very often, practically every night, and it's pitch black. On a Tuesday night when you've got cars coming up and down here from the rugby, it can be quite dangerous.

"Fair play to the people who have come down here today to hand out free stuff to make us all a little safer."

Councillor Angela McClements, cabinet member for Transport, Customer and Neighbourhood Services for Telford & Wrekin Council, said: "Cycle safety initiatives are being held across West Mercia through the winter months.

"Last year, over 450 cyclists benefitted from safety advice and free high-vis cycling products at initiatives across Warwickshire and West Mercia."