Merseyside named as one of the most dangerous regions in the UK for cyclists

Merseyside named as one of the most dangerous regions in the UK for cyclists

New data uncovered by cycling injury specialists Claims.co.uk saw Merseyside emerge as one of the most dangerous regions in the UK for cyclists, according to data gathered from police forces across the UK.

Cyclists in Merseyside are more at risk of being hit by cars than most other areas of the UK, coming in just behind Greater Manchester, Humberside, West Midlands and Avon and Somerset.

In 2017, Merseyside police were called out to 366 incidents where cyclists were injured by cars whilst on the road. This was nearly two times higher than the national average, although a slight decrease from 377 incidents in 2016 and 371 in 2015.

A report by Department for Transport, which analysed cycling injuries between 2011- 2016, estimates that 62 cyclists are injured on the roads across the UK every week, with an average of two of those being fatal.

Campaigning groups such as national charity Cycling UK continue to highlight the dangers that UK roads present to cyclists.

Duncan Dollimore, Head of Campaigns at Cycling UK, said that for vulnerable road users to be less at risk from motor vehicles, streets need to be better designed with their safety in mind:

“If we want to improve road safety for all of our most vulnerable road users, it would be better to focus on measures to reduce danger from the largest vehicles and design roads and streets which take their needs into account.

To help with this, Cycling UK have just responded to the Government’s Cycling and Walking safety review (CWIS), with our solutions to achieve safer roads and junctions, safer road users, safer speeds and safer vehicles to make both cycling and walking the natural choice for short journeys.”

The data uncovered by Claims.co.uk also found that injuries sustained by pedestrians after being struck by cyclists were also on the rise – but while Merseyside was one of the most dangerous for cyclists, pedestrians were also at risk of injury from passing cyclists.

Across Merseyside, 5 pedestrians were injured after being hit by passing cyclists in 2017 alone. But Cycling UK say it’s important to remember that it is still motor vehicles that pose the biggest threat to vulnerable road users like cyclists and pedestrians;

“When considering the safety of people cycling or walking it’s essential that people look at the evidence about the source of the danger. In the last ten years, the casualty statistics from the Department for Transport reveal that 99.4 % of pedestrian fatalities on our roads involved a motor vehicle, with a 10% increase in overall pedestrian fatalities in 2016 as a consequence of the large rise in pedestrian deaths in motor vehicle collisions” Duncan Dollimore said.

“Despite the evidence that both cyclists and pedestrians are at greatest risk from motor vehicles, the conversation in recent months seems to have focused on the perceived risk that cyclists present to pedestrians.”

To see how Merseyside compares to the rest of the UK, go to www.claims.co.uk/worst-cycling-regions