It's been a month of carnage for cyclists on the borough's roads.
On the 26th of June, a cyclist and bus collided on A316 outside Pools on the Park. The cyclist later died of cardiac arrest. It's not clear if the cardiac arrest caused the collision or it was the other way around. This was not reported in the local papers. I'm aware of this accident because I saw the aftermath, and contacted the Richmond Cycling Campaign who were able to follow up on the fate of the cyclist.
On the 14th of July a cyclist died following an accident Kew Bridge.
http://brentford.hou...ew-bridge.html. Again, the Richmond and Twickenham Times have not covered this, despite being asked by the Richmond Cycling Campaign:
http://www.richmondl...2/five-minutes/
Last Sunday a cyclist was airlifted out of Richmond Park with serious facial injuries after being struck by a car in near Robin Hood Gate. This was reported in the local news
http://www.richmonda...rious_injuries/
Also last Sunday there was a cycle crash in our neighbourhood. The cyclist is in intensive care. No witnesses have come forward, and the victim's bike, sunglasses and watch are missing. I'm aware of this one because of the flyers his wife has placed around the area - attached below. There has been no police call for witnesses and nothing in the local paper.
I'm aware of these incidents because I stumbled on them, so presumably there are a lot more that I am not aware of but the police are. As there have "only" been 10 cyclist deaths in London this year, I assume that these are probably the only two local in the last month.
The fact that the Richmond and Twickenham Times has a detailed article about Angelina Jolie shopping in St Margarets, but not about a death on Kew Bridge saddens me, but luckily we don't have to rely on them for our information. The local police have a direct way of contacting us through Neighbourhood Watch. They could use this to inform us of these and other incidents, to let us know what they are doing to increase cyclist safety in the Borough, to tell us what we can do to make ourselves and our children safer on the roads.
But no, they don't do that. Instead they choose this month to send out a pissy little brochure advising us that cycling on the pavements can get you a fixed penalty notice; which is particularly ironic as the policeman I spoke to at the scene of the A316 accident told me that despite it being against the law, he always cycles on the pavement near his home as the roads are too dangerous.
Sorry, I am really angry about this. I will follow it up with the police, but I am interested if others feel the same.
thanks for your time
