Ealing cyclists up in arms over latest death

After 51-year-old Met Police officer, Claudia Manera was killed in a bike accident at the junction of The Broadway and Uxbridge Road on the 12^th October, the cycling public held a demonstration calling for improvements to the junction this weekend.

Hundreds of cyclists came together to march down Uxbridge Road calling for improved road safety in Ealing. In a statement, Terry Patterson, chair of London Cycling Campaign (LCC), said: “We are here to mourn the loss of a member of our community, and to call for change – and action.

“Only a few days ago, Claudia Manera died here in Ealing. She was riding her bike on Uxbridge Road.

“It is a terrible thing to lose someone in this way – a brutal and appallingly abrupt end to a life – and I want to pass on my heartfelt condolences to Claudia’s family, friends and colleagues.”

Petition at Ealing Council

One of the things that the demonstration highlighted was a petition that people can sign for Ealing Council to sit up and pay attention to the problem of cycle safety there. Two pedestrians and two cyclists have been killed at the junction, while 46 people have been seriously injured over the last five years. This makes the Uxbridge Road one of the bigger cycle danger spots in London.

The petition in question states, “we feel Transport for London and Ealing Council have not achieved enough in their goals for a safer borough. There are many juncti­ons and crossings that are hazardous for pe­destrians, wheelchair users and cyclis­ts and difficult to negotiate for driver­s. This petition calls for a review of road safety along the le­ngth of the Uxbridge Road in Ealing. We wou­ld like this to be followed with a renew­ed and specific comm­itment from Ealing Council to provide protected space for vulnerable road users, and in­vest in safety impro­vements along the road to make it safe for all.”

To date, 530 people have signed their name to this.

The cycling public up in arms…

London’s Mayoral and Assembly elections are notable in the prominence of cycling and pedestrian needs. Where a politician who can effect real change gets nervous about keeping their seat over the cycling lobby this is a tremendous advantage for London’s cycling public.

In addition, there is a group of London cyclists who like to get their point across through demonstrations. This is a sign of a healthy democracy and the fact that people are motivated to march in the street to call for change, it shows that there is a real drive by the cycling public to effect that change. London is relatively unique among towns and cities across the UK where people do hit the streets over this issue, and those involved should be supported all the way. Visible democracy that scares politicians is something to be cheered over, even where the issue of cycling deaths and serious injury is so grave.

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