2017 Ride London + idiotic and ignorant bus drivers

Today we went on the Prudential Ride London. Initially we joined a Lewisham Led Ride that took us at an increasingly leisurely pace from Lower Sydenham to Waterloo Bridge where we joined the Ride London circuit along with thousanads of other cyclists of all ages – including young kids with stabilizers – and abilities. Even though it started to rain before we headed back to Forest Hill it was a great occasion. 

With so many cyclists it was essential to stay very focused!

 

 The Lewisham Led Ride gathering at Waterlink Way 

with Perry Rise near Sainisbury's Sava Centre, Lower Sydenham

 Lewisham Led Ride @Steven Lawrence Centre, Deptford

 Meeting of Greenwich and Lewisham Led rides 

@Southern end of Waterloo Bridge

Two idiotic London bus drivers (28.7.2017): dangerous and inconsiderate driving  

 

Transport for London (TfL) promotes Ride London – 'the world's greatest festival of cycling' but fails to instruct its bus drivers to drive responsibily when passing cyclists. 

 Good that this 363 (registration: YX66WHN) 

promotes the Prudential Ride London 

but shame that the driver has been taught how to overtake cyclists safely. 28.7.2017 this driver tried to pass (heading westwards) on Sydenham Hill close to the Dulwich Wood House. Trying to speed past on the wrong side of the road to get in before the street furniture.  

Very close pass from a 157 (LJ59 LYD)

on Church Road (beyond the one-way system), 

around 10.30 28.7.2017.

I could have easily touched the bus as it passed 

very close to me and swerved in

(pictured in Thornton Heath after I followed this 157) 

Forest Hill, London SE23 – new initiative to persuade speeding motorists to slow down

Many of the roads in Forest Hill (London SE23) and in the rest of Lewisham are now 20mph. This move is certainly very welcome as the risk of serious injury and death increases dramatically as traffic speeds approach 30 mph and above.

Unfortunately, although some adhere to the new speed limit, too many drivers don't and at the same time some, a minority, drive recklessly putting both themselves and other road users in danger. 

Given stretched resources for the Police, this new initiative – Lewisham Community Road Watch scheme – looks to be well worth supporting. 

Letter from Michael Hill of the Forest Hill section of the Met outlining the new scheme:   

    

'PL - Lewisham Borough PL - Forest Hill SNT

Catford Hill Police Station

128 Catford Hill
Catford

London SE6 4PS

Tel; 0208 721 2723

Michael.R.Hill@met.pnn.police.uk

www.met.police.uk

7th March 2017

 

Dear Resident,

I am writing to inform you of a new initiative that I feel you may wish to participate in. This is the Lewisham Community Road Watch scheme, a joint initiative between Transport for London and the Metropolitan Police. It is designed to address community concerns of speeding in the local area. It allows volunteers from the community to work with the police using speed monitoring equipment to identify and educate drivers found exceeding the speed limit.

How it works:

·      Volunteer(s) join a Safer Transport Police Community Support officer at a specified location.

·      The volunteer uses the speed detection device to check the speed of vehicles. · Any vehicle exceeding the speed limit has its Vehicle Registration Mark and speed recorded and a warning letter is sent to the registered keeper by Transport for London. · Volunteers are provided with a high visibility vest and are required to sign a disclaimer which will be explained fully to those wishing to participate.

·      All sites are risk assessed in advance.

·      The sessions would run for one to two hours.

The events are run by a Safer Transport Police Community Support Officer. A Police Officer cannot be present as they would be expected to stop the vehicles and report offences at the scene. Volunteers cannot participate on the road they live on as this could lead to a dispute with neighbours. However, you can suggest locations where these actions will take place. The speed gun can not be loaned out to residents without the attendance of a Safer Transport PCSO as the equipment is supplied to the Safer Transport Teams to run the events for Transport for London.

If you wish to take part in this scheme, know of a suitable location or require further information then please go to; Lewishamcommunityroadwatch@met.pnn.police.uk.

Yours sincerely,

Michael 195PL, Michael Hill PC 195PL (DWPC)

Follow us on Twitter at - @MPSForestHill MetSec' 

 

Tom Kearney: Politico's fine profile of Tom and his TFL bus campaign

The opening of Politico's profile of Tom Kearney.

Tom Kearney, a US executive living in London, was hit by a bus on London's Oxford Street in 2009 and left in a coma. Fortunately he survived and has subsequently waged a persistent campaign to improve the safety record of London's buses. Politico has recently published a fine profile of Kearney and his campaign.

Read the rest here. 

On October 15th 2015 The Evening Standard reported on official figures that showed that one person is killed by a London bus every three weeks.

'Between April 2007 and March this year (2015), bus collisions killed 128 people on the capital’s roads. A further 14 died following “slips, trips and falls” while on board.' 

Read the rest here. 

From my own experience either while riding on London buses as well as out on my bike is that some London bus drivers drive recklessly often exceeding the speed limit, especially when out of the centre of London or when traffic is light.  This is particularly noticeable late in the evening when traveling back from the centre to Forest Hill

For instance it would be interesting to know how many 363 buses travel along Sydenham Hill at 20 mph – the speed limit. 

Doubtless there is a temptation to make up time lost in heavy traffic in the centre of London on quieter roads in the suburbs. Bus operators and Transport for London (Tfl) should be insisting that safety rather than timetables are paramount. 

The difference between the amount of media and official interest in bus accidents and the horrific Croydon tram accident on 9th November 2016 is stark. May be this is because tram accidents are very rare, while those involving buses are more frequent. 

Follow Tom's campaign on Twitter and also his blog.   

What do Boris and Transport for London have against Natural Wine?

The Real Wine Fair@Holborn

The two natural/artisan/authentic wine fairs open in London today and it would seem that Transport for London has decided to make it difficult to get to them by public transport. The Central Line is closed between Marble Arch and Liverpool Street so affecting both fairs. In addition the Overground line from Highbury and Islington to New Cross Gate/New Cross is also closed affecting The Artisan Wine Fair.

The Artisan Wine Fair@Brick Lane