‘Majority of cyclists ready to jump red lights’
More than half of all cyclists are jumping red lights, according to a new survey by motoring charity the Institute of Advanced Motorists.
The main reason given for jumping lights is because it is safer to get ahead of other traffic – 38 per cent do this.
At the same time over half (54 per cent) of cyclists think that cyclists should improve their behaviour by sticking to the Highway Code at junctions – poor road layout and junctions were a top concern for half (48 per cent) of the cyclists polled.
Other findings are:
> 73 per cent of cyclists ride on the pavement, with the top reasons being: because the cycle path doesn’t join up completely (59 per cent), to avoid a busy section of road, which doesn’t have a cycle path (55 per cent) and to avoid a busy junction (47 per cent)
> 94 per cent of cyclists have seen a driver cross an advanced stop line.
> 43 per cent said they would be less likely to jump red lights if advanced stop lines were more strongly enforced.
IAM chief executive Simon Best said: “Cyclists are right to feel that roads are not cycle friendly enough, and this is reflected in their behaviour. But while poor junction design, inconsistent cycle paths and inconsiderate drivers put cyclists at risk, cyclists also have to help themselves.
“Changes to road layouts and junctions can improve safety for cyclists, but no junction will ever be safe for those who continue to jump red lights. It’s dangerous and illegal.
“The police need to enforce the law as strongly when cyclists put themselves and others at risk by jumping the lights, as they do for drivers. They also need to ensure that drivers are pulled up for crossing advanced stop lines that protect cyclists.”
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Weather for Leighton Buzzard
Sunday 26 May 2013
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