Supporting safe streets for all
By Lucy Giuliano
Lucy is Campaigns Director of Cyclox
Whether you’re walking, cycling or driving, you deserve to get home safely.
Since I started as Cyclox Campaigns Director 5 months ago I’ve seen news reports of a local road collision on most days.
In late October, the Chair of Cyclox, Alison Hill, was hit by a coach while cycling back from a meeting. She sustained serious injuries and was in hospital for three weeks.
A week later a friend of mine was hit by a car while cycling to the train station. Last month, one of our volunteers was late to a meeting because he was clipped by a car. Every week we receive messages from members of the public who’ve either been hit while cycling, or have had a near miss.
At our recent AGM Dr Robert Davis, Chair of the Road Danger Reduction Forum, asked attendees to raise a hand if they had either been involved in a crash or if they knew someone who had. Almost everyone raised their hand, including me.
This is not normal, and they are not accidents.
Our roads are not safe
We all make mistakes, and I’m the first to acknowledge that people who cycle aren’t all perfect. But the reality is that our roads are not designed for everyone to share space safely. They also do not factor in vulnerability.
As an example, Alison should never have had to cycle anywhere near to that coach. She should have had a dedicated cycle lane. Ling Felce, killed by a truck on The Plain roundabout in 2022, should have been better protected. Instead, she lost her life. The list is devastating, and it goes on.
We urgently need:
- high-quality segregated cycle lanes
- improved junctions and crossings
- 20 mph speed limits
- better safety standards for large vehicles such as HGVs
These would make our streets safer for all road users.
We also need to encourage and enable fewer car trips. This will reduce Oxford’s dreadful congestion, but it will also help to tackle the health risks associated with driving, such as increased air and noise pollution and physical inactivity.
We want everyone to feel safe on our streets. To achieve this, we need your support.
Vision Zero – Safe Streets for All
This is why Cyclox started its Vision Zero campaign. Vision Zero means a future where no-one is killed or seriously injured on Oxford’s roads. It is a plan to eliminate traffic fatalities and severe injuries while increasing safe and healthy mobility for all.
We want everyone to feel safe on our streets. To achieve this, we need your support. This week we are taking part in the Big Give Christmas Challenge. This match-funding campaign runs between 28 November and 5 December. It supports over 1,000 charities across the UK.
Please donate to the Big Give
We are grateful to our pledgers and the Big Give Champions The Reed Foundation who have already promised £9,250 to match what we raise. We’re hoping you will help us reach our £18,500 target to fund our Vision Zero – Safe Streets for All campaign.
One Big Give donation has twice the impact. If you donate £10, it becomes £20. £100 becomes £200. Cyclox does not receive any ongoing funding, so any contribution is greatly appreciated. Donating is quick and easy on our Big Give page. If you have any questions or issues you can get in touch at contact@cyclox.org.
In the words of James Felce, Ling Felce’s widower: “Losing Ling has ripped the heart out of her family and destabilised what were happy and prosperous lives. Achieving Vision Zero will prevent more families having to suffer such devastating loss. Please give generously to support Cyclox in their crucial campaign work.”
Thank you.
Image credits
Main image: Big Give
Kidical Mass: Tom Weller Photography