Olympics Cycle Death: Further Safety Measures Call After Cyclist Killed Outside Olympic Park

Safety Measures Urged After Cyclist Killed Outside Olympic Park

There have been further calls for safety measures in cycling after the death of a cyclist knocked down by an official Olympic bus, the 10th fatality involving bikes in London this year.

The driver has been bailed pending further inquiries after the 28-year-old died last night after being hit by a bus ferrying journalists between Olympic venues.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said a man in his mid-60s was arrested at the scene, just outside the Olympic Park in Stratford, east London, at 9.28pm on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

In response to the death gold medal winning Bradley Wiggins said he would like to see the introduction of a law making it compulsory to wear cycling helmets.

"It's dangerous and London is a busy city and a lot of traffic. I think we have to help ourselves sometimes.

"I haven't lived in London for 10 to 15 years now and it's got a lot busier since I was riding a bike as a kid round here, and I got knocked off several times.

"But I think things are improving to a degree - there are organisations out there who are attempting to make the roads safer for both parties.

"But at the end of the day we've all got to co-exist on the roads. Cyclists are not ever going to go away, as much as drivers moan, and as much as cyclists maybe moan about certain drivers they are never going to go away, so there's got to be a bit of give and take."

The victim was struck by the double-decker just after 7.30pm.

He was not believed to be an athlete, and is expected to be formally identified later today.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said the man was pronounced dead at the scene in Ruckholt Road, at the junction with the A12.

Safety campaigners said it was the 10th cyclist to die in London since January, the same number as in the whole of 2010.

At this rate, the number of cyclists killed on London's roads will exceed last year's death toll of 16, campaign groups fear.

London Mayor Boris Johnson said there were no plans to require cyclists to wear helmets or to provide them for the capital's fleet of "Boris bikes".

The Mayor was wearing a helmet as he cycled into Whitehall for this morning's ministerial Olympics meeting at the Cabinet Office.

Asked if other cyclists should be made to wear protective headwear, Mr Johnson said: "I think they should do if they want to."

Asked whether he would be providing helmets for Boris bike users, he said: "No.

"It's quite right to say that people should do if they have got one, but we have absolutely no plans to make it mandatory.

"The evidence is mixed.

"I have to say that in countries where they have made them compulsory, it hasn't always necessarily been good for cycling."

Martin Gibbs, British Cycling's director of public policy said the latest death was a tragedy, adding: "Our sympathies are with the family and friends of the cyclist who was killed.

"It would be inappropriate to comment further on this incident until the full facts are known, but at British Cycling we believe that a lot more could be done to make the roads safer for cyclists.

"We have been calling on the government to show its commitment to a variety of measures including better dedicated provision for cyclists on roads and junctions, improvements to HGV safety measures and a commitment that all future road and major transport schemes should be subjected to a Cycling Safety Assessment prior to approval.

"Experience from abroad has shown conclusively that what is needed is a commitment from the government to ensure that cycling is brought into the heart of transport policy and proper provision for cyclists is designed into roads and junctions."

:: A female cyclist is in a serious but stable condition in hospital after being dragged under a lorry in Fulham last week.

Comments on this story are closed for legal reasons

SEE ALSO