#10 Petition for you all to sign

Signed. Thanks

signed

Signed.

signed

signed and delivered

ditto

Added my scribble to the list

Also encouraging/urging all those concerned with the way London is policed to 'have your say' in the Metropolitan Police Authority consultation on policing for the coming year at http://www.mpa.gov.uk/publications/policingplans/.

Of course you'll have your own thoughts on what those priorities might be, but some suggestions could include;
1) Increased inspection/enforcement of defective commercial vehicles/HGVs
2) Improved collision investigation following fatalities of vulnerable road users (cyclists and pedestrians)
3) Enforcement of speed restrictions especially in 20 mph zones
4) Enforcement of FPN for mobile phone use while driving

Thanks
Sara

ps Sorry if this isn't posted in the right place, but as a new comer I can't start a new thread...yet!
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signed

No excuse not to sign it really. Anyone who rides in any town should be happy to stick their name to that.

Done.

Definitely signed.

deadline tomorrow!
SIGNED

Shame I missed this. I think its an excellent idea, I hope that it doesn't go unnoticed.

the See Me Save Me wiki is being attacked by spambots. i removed a load of spam that sounded like under-age porno stuff (had the good sense not to click any links!) on the front page but there's lots more. however there is still plenty of the site that remains intact... so far.

edit: hmm probably wasn't the right place for this message, but there ya go.

PM Velocio. That's always a risk with open sites like that.

Signed, this is a serious issue..

“We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to introduce new measures, to complement existing measures, with the aim of reducing to zero the number of cyclist fatalities caused by LGVs (Large Goods Vehicles).”**

Details of Petition:**
“The measures should create a two-part Safety Standard that is an addition to the LGV license. The safety standard would commit to Best Practice in both driver training and in vehicle specification. This would be achieved by: A) implementing additional driver safety awareness training; and B) recognising that vehicle specification must include suitability of the LGV for the city centre. The combination of both an LGV Safety Certified driver and vehicle, would grant an implicit permit that allows access to city centres during peak hours. Any vehicles or drivers lacking certification would not be permitted access to city centres during peak hours. These measures can be rooted in bigger government strategies - combating obesity, congestion, global warming - while supporting and encourage cycling. Eight people have died, directly as a result of collisions with LGVs, on London streets so far this year. The petition aims to make clear that “share the road” has failed to address the fundamental issue that sharing is not possible when the LGV drivers do not always see the cyclist. Implementing these measures could make the UK one of the most cycle friendly cities in the world.”

· Read the petition
· Petitions homepage

Read the Government’s response

The Government shares Ms Clegg’s concern about the safety of cyclists. But we believe a better way to help all road users to share road space safely is to raise skill levels. The Driver Certificate of Professional Competence, which we introduced in September for professional lorry drivers, will help them maintain and develop their driving skills. Lorry drivers now have to take extra tests on top of a LGV licence to get a Driver CPC. They then have to take 35 hours of approved periodic training every five years to retain the CPC and continue to drive professionally. There is no evidence to suggest that a LGV safety certificate would make lorry drivers more aware of cyclists. Such a scheme would be expensive to introduce and operate, and would be difficult to enforce.

There is a number of questions in the LGV driving theory test (the test a person takes to acquire a LGV licence, whether they need a CPC or not) which tackle specifically the issue of large vehicles sharing the road with cyclists, particularly at junctions. The Driving Standards Agency’s publication Driving Goods Vehicles, one of the main test source materials, also refers to cyclists in a number of sections.

d'oh, i just posted exactly what konikn did.

not a great response huh.

yup, highly disappointing

well at least they'll know its their fault when they hit you. extra training is definately a better idea than no lorries...

although i have to say, the petition was slightly wishful thinking, i take their point about this: "Any vehicles or drivers lacking certification would not be permitted access to city centres during peak hours" being hard/expensive to enforce.

They have a valid points though, who will fund it?? It's a massive piece of work and there is no guarantee the deaths would have been prevented by only certified drivers and HGV in town.
No gvt would make a change that large for the potential to save a few lives.

Safety Awareness around cyclists should be a significant part of the increased Driver training. The advanced training the drivers get should benefit more than just the city of London, it will benefit all towns and villages in the UK and Europe wide.

The suitability of an HGV for the urban needs to come under scrutiny for every incident/Accident. If a pattern can be seen then an argument can be made security measure at a time.

The day a minister gets injured of Killed on his way in to fill out his expense forms, and the offending HGV wasn't fitted with all the available security measures will be the day that they decided to get tough in enforcing them.. sad as it is

So basically everything the Gov are doing is adequate and I was mistaken?

The main reason we created this petition was to address the issue of sharing the road with lorries that can't see us. The PM (or which ever staff member responded) has not addressed vehicle specifications at all. This, to me, is the fundamental problem and we made it clear in the petition text.

Does anyone know how you ask for the question to be answered again - as in more thoroughly?

The response doesn't read as if they even read the petition, which asked for:

A) implementing additional driver safety awareness training;

which I understand as raising the skill levels of drivers with regard to noticing cyclists. Yet the response reads

The Government shares Ms Clegg’s concern about the safety of cyclists. But we believe a better way to help all road users to share road space safely is to raise skill levels.

uh, isn't that exactly what was asked for in point A?

Then go on with this straw man:

There is no evidence to suggest that a LGV safety certificate would make lorry drivers more aware of cyclists.

so, there is no evidence that an LGV with proper mirrors would make drivers more aware of cyclists?

very disappointing that "a number of questions in the LGV driving theory test" in relation to cyclists is considered adequate.

I just wrote to the PM again here and asked whether he actually saw the petition himself or was the reply written and signed off by someone else. I pointed out that he did not address point B) recognising that vehicle specification must include suitability of the LGV for the city centre. He merely points out the current inadequate training. Lorries = 4% of traffic yet kill 70% of cyclists. The fundamental problem is that they cannot see cyclists. This is what our petition asked him to address and he has not. I also mentioned that the no. of cyclists killed by lorries in London rose from 8 to 13 since the petition started. I asked him to respond in full, as promised on his website. Fingers crossed.

I'll write similarly to all the relevant ministers.

https://email.number10.gov.uk/Contact.aspx