Local reporter asks if motorists care that cyclists are dying on roads at “alarming rate” – and readers respond by claiming cyclists “think they own the road then suffer the consequences” amid calls for cycling licences, insurance, and mandatory helmets

Over the past few years, cyclists in the UK have got used to a seemingly constant barrage of negative coverage in the mainstream press, both local and national.

But one reporter at the Birmingham Mail decided to buck this depressing trend last week, by criticising the general indifference that permeates British attitudes towards active travel and which views cycling fatalities as a “normal part of urban life”, asking “Where is the outrage?” – only for readers to respond to his call for improved cycling infrastructure by claiming that cyclists “think they own the road then suffer the consequences”, and demanding the introduction of cycling-specific licences, insurance, and mandatory helmets and hi-vis clothing.

In the opinion piece, titled ‘Cyclists are dying on our roads at an alarming rate: Why don’t we care?’, Nathan Clarke argued that last summer – when Birmingham-based campaigners took to the streets and stakeholders introduced tougher measures to crack down on dangerous driving and promote safe active travel, following the deaths of three cyclists and a pedestrian in the space of a month on the city – “felt like a turning point”.

“But a year on, here we are again,” he wrote. “This week alone, one cyclist was killed in Edgbaston by a lorry driver arrested on suspicion of driving while unfit through drink or drugs, while another cyclist was left with serious injuries after a collision in Northfield.

“If we do care about cyclists, we have a funny way of showing it.”

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Noting that over 420 cyclists have been killed in road collisions in the UK since 2020, Clarke continued: “If more than 100 people every year were murdered by gangs of madmen wielding chainsaws, the government would, of course, make it near-impossible to buy a chainsaw without adequate checks.

“If 100 people a year were dying from a new infectious disease, scientists would be working around-the-clock to find a cure.

“But when it comes to the deaths of cyclists on our roads, we bury our heads in the sand, seeing it as a sad but normal part of urban life. This attitude is costing lives and will continue to do so until the deaths of vulnerable road users become a priority. Where is the outrage?”

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The local reporter’s call for an angry, unified response to the death toll on Britain and Birmingham’s roads comes two months after Birmingham City Council chiefs opted to remove the separate transport and highways role from its cabinet, instead reverting it to the wider transport and environment brief that also includes projects such as waste and parks.

This decision, which local cycling activists claimed would “cost lives”, came on the same day that Adam Tranter resigned as the region’s walking and cycling commissioner, in order to allow the newly elected administration to “develop their own active travel plans”.

“Of course, Birmingham City Council and the West Midlands Combined Authority will say keeping cyclists safe is a priority, what right-minded politician would say they want cyclists to die? But actions speak louder than words, and local leaders in Birmingham have a lot to answer for,” Clarke wrote in his opinion piece.

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At a national level, in a move seemingly anathema to most mainstream journalists, he also called on the new Labour government to “show bravery and throw its support behind councils seeking to promote active travel and dispel the myth of a ‘war on motorists’”.

“We know, looking at examples across the globe and in places like London, that if we make cycling a viable alternative, people will do it. Build more cycle lanes and people will use them – maybe not straight away, but eventually,” he continued.

“Until then, cyclists around Birmingham and other major cities will continue to be at risk from drivers who face minimal restrictions on the roads – and who if caught, will likely be behind the wheel again before long. If Birmingham City Council is serious about putting cycling at the future of our city’s integrated transport system, it must act with haste.

“The longer this continues, the more car-reliant our city becomes, and the harder it will be to get people on two wheels. If the council really cares about cyclists, it must act now. The deaths of cyclists can’t be in vain.”

Today people in Birmingham came together to say "Enough is Enough". Four people have been killed on our roads in the last month, two of whom have been children. Last week a child and their older sibling were run over on their way to school. @for_birmingham is demanding action pic.twitter.com/nJummIIFWZ

— Sarah Chaundler (@ChaundlerSarah) June 18, 2023

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However, this surprisingly pro-cycling opinion piece in the Birmingham Mail sparked a rather inevitable backlash on social media, as readers rushed to defend motorists and criticise cyclists for their behaviour on the roads, while also calling for specific licences and insurance for people on bikes.

“What, are you saying it’s always someone else’s fault, sometimes it’s also the cyclist fault or potholes,” wrote Debbie Johnson on Facebook.

“It’s not that we don’t care, it’s just that some [cyclists] have no idea how to use the roads, they think they own it then suffer the consequences,” added Lisa Ford.

Over on X, formerly Twitter, Luke wrote: “Cyclists are unregulated and uninsured. No one deserves to die on our roads, but cyclists need to go through a rigorous licensing programme to ensure they are fit, able, and aware on our roads.”

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“Everywhere is bending over backwards to make it safer, why’s it still happening? Maybe we should look at the cyclists instead of the drivers,” added Mart.

“Perhaps if they weren’t so entitled and think the Highway Code only applies to drivers, and actually showed some respect to other road users then perhaps they wouldn’t be,” claimed ‘The Watchman’.

Meanwhile, Alan Fresco said: “Yes, we need to ensure that every cyclist on a public highway has passed a proficiency test. A full driving license would suffice but otherwise cyclists should have to pass a proficiency test. Also crack down on reckless cycling such as ignoring red lights etc.”

Finally, Rob Harry responded to the article by writing: “Legally require helmets; Start to fine cyclists that go through red lights; High-viz to be more noticeable for bigger vehicles; Make them stick to the same speed limits as the road allows for greater reaction times.”

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However, not everyone was incensed at Clarke’s simple call for change to prevent more cyclists dying on Birmingham’s roads.

“A great article, I agree with what’s said,” wrote Steve. “We need change now before more cyclists and pedestrians die. In Birmingham and Sheffield and elsewhere...”

Answering Clarke’s question, ‘why don’t we care’, Gareth Massey said: “Because nobody gives a s**t about the safety of others so long as they are okay and not held up by 30 seconds.

“Birmingham’s cycling infrastructure is the worst by far of any UK cities with driver attitudes to match – ‘It’s always somebody else’s fault’. And to think Birmingham used to be the world’s biggest producer and exporter of cycles 100 years ago.”