Figures published today show a comparison between the number of cyclists killed or seriously injured by Heavy Goods Vehicles, compared to major injuries and deaths caused by buses. Lorries cause far more fatalities, but the figures suggest that some years, buses are causing more major injuries to cyclists per km.
TfL figures suggest that bus services are nearly half a billion km per year, whilst HGVs cover over a billion km per year. In 2009, lorries were more dangerous to cyclists, but in 2010, 2011 and 2012 buses were.
Darren commented,
“The scale of cycling and pedestrian casualties from bus collisions has been a neglected problem for too long. London relies on its buses and there are simple and easy steps that Transport for London could take to make them safer, starting by writing safety requirements into the bus company contracts. The Mayor should also commission a safety study which looks at where there are particular bus routes, or stretches of road that need to be made safer.”
Notes to editors
Darren commented,
“HGVs and other heavy vehicles have a devastating impact on cyclists and pedestrians, but the scale of cycling and pedestrian casualties from bus collisions has been a neglected problem for too long. I was surprised to find that buses accounted for so many major injuries compared to lorries. London relies on its buses and there are simple and easy steps that Transport for London could take to make them safer, starting by writing safety requirements into the bus company contracts. Buses contracts are directly under the Mayor’s control and he could act on this tomorrow. The Mayor should also commission a safety study which looks at where there are particular bus routes, or stretches of road that need to be made safer.”
Buses and pedestrian casualties (4) 25th Feb http://questions.london.gov.uk/QuestionSearch/searchclient/questions/question_45532
Jenny Jones
Will you link the number of reported casualties to the contract payment system for bus route operators? This would ensure that casualty reduction is incentivised as a performance standard, along side factors like arriving on-time.
The Mayor
TfL sets extremely high standards for safety on the bus network. All contracted bus operators have in place comprehensive safety procedures and practices and TfL monitors these closely. All serious incidents are thoroughly investigated.
All operators working for TfL have extremely good safety records. If they did not they would not be awarded contracts or would have contracts taken away. This, together with the very exacting legislative regime around passenger transport, provides a very effective means of ensuring safe operation.
HGVs and casualties
Question No: 2014/0651
Darren Johnson
Can you please provide a breakdown by type of casualty and severity, for 2012 of the number of pedestrians and also cyclists, who were either killed, or seriously injured, as a result of a collision with an HGV and other motor vehicles (i.e. skip lorries, etc..) in London?
Written response from the Mayor
The table below shows the number of pedestrians and cyclists fatally or seriously injured in collisions involving Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) or ‘other vehicles’ in London during 2012.
Please note that the DfT STATS19 definition of ‘other vehicles’ are those not falling into any main vehicle category and could include skip lorries, tipper trucks or refuse vehicles.
These figures include casualties resulting from collisions involving construction vehicles that are exempt from national safety requirements to fit side guards and mirrors. TfL contractors are required to use vehicles with this equipment fitted. TfL is also working with London Councils to introduce a Safer Lorry Scheme that will require every vehicle in London over 3.5 tonnes to be fitted with side guards and other safety equipment.
Bus collisions
Darren Johnson (18-Dec-2013):
Thank you for your response to 4051/2013. Please now provide a breakdown by calendar year instead of by fiscal year of the number of cyclists killed or suffering a 'major injury', as a result of a collision with a bus in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012. ..
The Mayor:
Cyclists in collisions with buses
Year Major Injuries; Fatalities; Total cyclists killed or suffering "major" injuries
2008 11 1 12
2009 8 1 9
2010 23 1 24
2011 17 1 18
2012 19 0 19
TfL has committed to publishing bus incidents data on a regular basis on its website from spring next year. This will include quarterly reports of collision accidents across the bus network with a breakdown of data by bus operator, route and which borough.
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