Almost 900 cyclists injured on Lancashire's roads over last three years

A Freedom of Information (FOI) request to Lancashire Constabulary shows 895 cyclists were injured in crashes reported to, and recorded by the police, from January 2019 - October 2021.

The FOI request was submitted to the force by electric bike retailer Avaris eBikes, based in Padiham, as part of the company’s research into safety and awareness on the roads.

And during that same time frame, 342 cyclists received ‘serious’ injuries.

The force cited Blackpool as the area with the most reported road traffic incidents involving both drivers and cyclists, and said Blackpool Road in Preston, and Broadway in Fleetwood, were the worst-affected roads, with an equal number of crashes occurring.

The figures are broken down by each year, with 308 crashes occurring in 2019, 325 in 2020, and 262 in 2021, up until October 31.

The figures for 2021 run up October as the FOI submission was made in November.

The police said a total of seven cyclist fatalities resulting from crashes involving a cyclist and a vehicle(s) were reported to, and recorded by them, over the three-year period.

Bob Gower, a 68-year-old retired social worker from Blackburn who uses an eBike to get around, said: “For many people, the prospect of riding a bike on a busy public road is very intimidating, and most do not do it for this reason.

"I started cycling as a kid and in that time things have changed massively, of course, with the number of vehicles on the road increasing.

“One of the major problems is that many towns were not built with the current volume of cars in mind, and as efforts have been made to accommodate them, other road users, especially cyclists, get marginalised.

"An example of this is the erratic and sporadic presence of cycle lanes which are rarely fit for purpose.

“I’m very aware that it only takes one driver behaving dangerously to cause me injury or damage my bike.

"But, on the whole, I’ve been pleasantly surprised that most seem to be considerate towards me, and allow me space when passing, or turning across traffic.

"Unfortunately, a small number seem to lack awareness of how they should drive near cyclists, and drive too fast, pass too close, and in some cases seem to regard the presence of a bike on the road as an inconvenience.

“This is a real shame, as there are huge benefits to getting more people cycling, for health and wellbeing, congestion and environmental reasons.

“The proposed changes to the Highway Code are positive and helpful, but there needs to be a very clear strategy in place to ensure all road users are aware of the changes.”

The method for the data extraction involves collisions where a cyclist was injured in an incident, in which a vehicle was involved, irrespective of blame or culpability, and include those where a cyclist may have collided with a stationary vehicle.

The figures come as the Department for Transport plans to update the Highway Code with the introduction of a ‘hierarchy of road users’, to prioritise and protect those most at risk of serious collisions, such as pedestrians and cyclists.

The proposed changes, which include eight new rules and amendments to various existing rules, will come into effect on January 29 if approved in Parliament.

Founder of Avaris eBikes, Richard Heys, said: “All road users need to be aware of the Highway Code and should shoulder their responsibility to take care of others.

“This is extremely important because there is an ever-growing number of cyclists on the roads for a number of reasons.

"A huge amount of people are now saving time and money by using electric and traditional bikes to commute to and from work, which is very convenient to do on an eBike thanks to the pedal-assisted power.

“Fitness goals, gridlocked cities at rush-hour, general traffic, and a greater awareness of how carbon emissions are impacting our environment, mean people are switching away from car use and making smarter choices.

“We want roads to be safer places for cyclists and drivers, but this won’t come without both types of road users committing to being up-to-date with the rules and practices in place, being more aware of their surroundings, and educating themselves about all aspects of road safety.

“Using an electric bike is an exhilarating experience with many benefits that users should be able to enjoy comfortably on the roads.”

At least two in three drivers were unaware of the proposed changes before Christmas, according to the AA, which polled 13,000 of its members on the subject.