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“I just don’t feel safe enough cycling during rush hour” says London mayoral candidateDavid Lammy (CC licensed by Policy Exchange via Flickr)

“I just don’t feel safe enough cycling during rush hour” says London mayoral candidate

David Lammy keen to move towards a Dutch style roads prioritisation system
by Alex Bowden
Sat, Jun 06, 2015 10:41
7

David Lammy, one of several prospective Labour candidates for the 2016 London mayoral election, has told the London Evening Standard that he now only cycles at weekends because he doesn’t feel safe during rush hour.

Lammy says he has seen incidents involving cyclists when out on the roads and it has dissuaded him from riding at peak times.

“I’ve seen cyclists clipped and come off their bikes and with the responsibility of three children it’s not something I feel able to do. If I was single and had no responsibilities I’d probably take my life into my own hands. On that basis I just don’t feel safe enough cycling during rush hour.”

Lammy has set out a series of cycling safety measures in the wake of London's six cycling fatalities this year.

He would like to appoint a cycling representative to the Transport for London board and increase the city's cycling budget. He also believes that TfL should look to move towards a Dutch style roads prioritisation system whereby pedestrians come first, then cyclists, then drivers.

Other prospective Labour candidates for the London mayoral election include Diane Abbott, Tessa Jowell and Christian Wolmar. Of these, Wolmar says that he cycles to all the meetings and speaking engagements for the campaign “with the occasional help of the odd bus or train”.

In January, Wolmar launched his Vision Zero policy paper in which he calls for “a radical new approach” to the issue of road safety in London. The three key features of his proposals are: a 20mph zone across the capital; a freight strategy to reduce the number of lorries on London’s streets; and an accident investigation body for road deaths.

David Lammy
London Mayoral Election 2016
Alex Bowden

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

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7 comments

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severs1966 | 9 years ago
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Be wary of politicians who declare their affection for road provisions that are "Dutch style". So far, this has almost never actually come to mean "done like what actually is done in the Netherlands".

"Dutch style cyclepath" = a painted line

"Dutch style roundabout" = lines painted on a roundabout to make it look like what the Dutch stopped doing a decade ago, without any of the legal obligations that would make it work.

"I now only cycle at weekends" = I drive a car to a safe place, take a bike out and ride 1km with the kids. Someone should ask him how many years he used to ride in cities, in rush hour, as an adult, before he gave it up.

Note what is missing from the promises. Funding? Plans? Timescale? This is the hallmark of a political promise that is not intended to be adhered to, not in any way.

"I don't feel safe in rush hour" is not "I will make it safe in rush hour". Someone ask him if that is a promise or not. He is a candidate for Mayor, not for PM. He can't change the law to create a hierarchy of legal obligation. Someone ask him what he is GOING TO DO.

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AJ101 | 9 years ago
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I'd take this as a positive. At the moment there are two candidates that are bringing cycling into the mayoral race - Lammy with his desire to appoint a cycling rep to the TFL board and Woolmar, who seems to be all about the bike.

While this is by no means enough, it's certainly a whole lot better than we've had before.

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arfa | 9 years ago
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Correct me if you know better fukawitribe but there are plenty of manifesto promises that fall by the wayside. If he's equivocal at this stage I wouldn't hold your breath

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arfa | 9 years ago
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Really not sure what his message is here, "gosh it's dangerous" and empathise with cyclists or "gosh they're mad" and empathise with motorists.
Cycling in the wrong place in London is dangerous but get your route right and it isn't. I would rather hear how candidates will develop the latter as you might even make a case to the petrolhead lobby.
"appointing someone" isn't leadership, it's abrogation so I conclude that Lammy has no intention to do anything other than pay lip service. At least Boris has got some proper infrastructure going in (even if it is in the wrong place).

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fukawitribe replied to arfa | 9 years ago
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arfa wrote:

Really not sure what his message is here, "gosh it's dangerous" and empathise with cyclists or "gosh they're mad" and empathise with motorists.
Cycling in the wrong place in London is dangerous but get your route right and it isn't. I would rather hear how candidates will develop the latter as you might even make a case to the petrolhead lobby.
"appointing someone" isn't leadership, it's abrogation so I conclude that Lammy has no intention to do anything other than pay lip service. At least Boris has got some proper infrastructure going in (even if it is in the wrong place).

"I'm not sure what he means, therefore I conclude he has not intention of doing anything"

Genius.... FFS

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bikebot | 9 years ago
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Politicians should be judged on their track record.

https://twitter.com/tpc2s/status/465140897056055296

David Lammy, MP for Tottenham

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Judge dreadful | 9 years ago
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MTFU, STFU. Although, some of that is good thinking.

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