ECF Recommendations 4 the COVID Recovery

The European Cyclists’ Federation’s  4 Recommendations for the COVID Recovery

 

1. Cycling infrastructure networks

A well-designed network of bicycle infrastructure is essential to the promotion of cycling as a safe, efficient and healthy mode of transport.

  2. Reduce traffic speed limits

Road safety experts agree that speed is one of the major threats to safer streets. Reducing traffic speed in cities to 30km/h (if not lower) is the first step to achieve that goal and would not make overall mobility any slower.

 3. Incentivise positive change, disincentive business as usual

Together with Cycling Industries Europe and several other bicycle organisations in Europe, we are calling on the European institutions to create a €5 billion centralised EU e-bike Access Fund.

 4. Cycle logistics

Right-turning trucks in urban areas are one of the leading causes of deadly and life-changing accidents with cyclists. Also, over 90% of all commercial vans and trucks currently circulating are diesel-fuelled. The promotion of alternatives such as cycle logistics for the last-mile delivery is essential.

whole article from ECF

Protecting Car Industry More Important than Saving Road User Lives?

You would think that people dying on the road would attract a furore of voices for change. But somehow we just accept those deaths as the accepted  collateral for ease, timeliness and convenience, just a side effect of car use.

Statistics  also show that SUVs are twice as likely to kill pedestrians because of the high front end  profile, but this information has not been well publicized.

From 2009 to 2016, in the US pedestrian deaths have risen 46 percent and are directly linked to the increase of these large vehicles on the road.

It is the weight and size of the vehicle and bumper height that are crucial for pedestrian and cyclist survival of a crash. But surprise! The NHTSA’s bumper regulations are written to “limit vehicle body damage. It has nothing to do with protecting people hit by said bumper. Nor do any regulations exist for vehicle hoods to absorb energy efficiently (cushion the victim)  during a crash”.

And that is a huge ethical inequity that should not be tolerated.

whole article by Sandy James Planner

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