Britain's roads 'too dangerous' for cyclists suggests BBC poll

Over half of British adults believe their local roads are unsafe for cycling, a BBC poll has suggested.

Despite the world’s biggest annual sporting event, the Tour de France, kicking off in Leeds last Saturday, "people [feel] unsafe to cycle" in many UK places, said cycling campaigner Martin Lucas-Smith.

The Department for Transport (DfT) said it had "doubled funding for cycling to £374m to help deliver safer junctions".

Mr Lucas-Smith from the Cambridge Cycling Campaign added "things like narrow cycle lanes" and “badly maintained roads” led to cyclists feeling unsafe.

"We'd like to see proper allocation of space on these roads which can almost always be achieved simply by a bit of redesign, so people can cycle safely and easily."

The research, which consisted of 3,012 British adults, also showed that 55% of people questioned said they felt employers failed to encourage cycling to work.

Claire Francis, head of policy for the walking and cycling charity Sustrans said: "Employers who encourage cycling can increase their profitability and have employees who take fewer sick days. But without decent facilities and support, many businesses miss out on these benefits.

"Cycle parking and showers in an office should be as common as a printer and a coffee machine.

"But we also need the government to deliver better infrastructure and slower speeds on our roads, so that people feel safe to leave home on their bike.”

The poll showed that only a third of Britons agreed roads in their local area were designed to be safe for cyclists. However with the Tour de France departing in Leeds, a quarter of people said they were now inspired to dedicate more attention to cycling.

Ed Clancy, a double Olympic gold-medal cyclist, said: "I live in Yorkshire and the Tour de France is a massive deal up there right now.

"We're really riding the crest of the wave and the more people that get involved in cycling, not just as a sport but for the commute to work or just having a laugh on the mountain bike at the weekend, is good all round."

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