2011-04-05 - Rider Down/Fatality, Camden Road

Hello everyone. I'm the Paul Dean quoted in the Islington Gazette. Also the Camden New Journal, Camden Gazette, Evening Standard and today the Independent.

Thank you all for your kind thoughts and your sympathy. Me and many of Paula's other friends met her family on Tuesday this week at a memorial event and, of course, they were devastated. I wrote an open letter to the Mayor and also contacted the Transport Office.

I'm frustrated at how avoidable this accident could've been if TfL had taken several sensible and, in one case, not all too expensive safety measures. After consultation with the Transport Office Chairs and Vice Chairs (Val Shawcross and Caroline Pidgeon), I've put together an online petition asking Boris and TfL to:

Standardise cycle-awareness training for lorry drivers across all boroughs (at present only a couple have it).

Fit lifesaving "Trixie" mirrors at all A-Road junctions so that lorries can see into their blind spots at these junctions. These have been proven to reduce blindside collisions in Germany and Switzerland. Boris is merely "trialling" them here, eventually, installed merely a handful and has yet to review the trial after nearly a year.

Make Camden, a classic spot for young cyclists, more cycle-friendly. At the moment it's horrific and local Councillor Paul Braithwaite told me he's been trying to push TfL to do this for a long time.

Please sign the petition. Its web address is:

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/boris-install-mirrors-that-save-cyclists-lives-petiti.html

For tweeting or shortform promotional mediums, it's best to use this shortened link. It'll automatically redirect:

http://bit.ly/g3aW6m

If you Tweet it, please use the tag #pfp

Thank you again.