Cracknell delivers safety message to Surrey’s cyclists
11/08/2010 10:45:13
Olympic gold medallist and keen cyclist, James Cracknell, enjoyed a special bike ride to Box Hill this morning (Friday 5 August) in support of a new ‘Cycle SMART’ campaign which has been launched by Surrey Police and Surrey County Council.
The former rower, who was born and raised in Surrey, spoke about the importance of cycle safety, stressing the need for both motorists and cyclists to take extra care when sharing space on the county’s roads.
As someone who rides Box Hill on a regular basis, James has witnessed a cyclist sustain an injury after falling from his bike in the area. And, having suffered a near fatal accident after being struck from behind by a truck while cycling through Arizona last year, he is very keen to promote the use of helmets.
He said: “As a result of the accident last year, I had a massive head injury. When I came out of intensive care, I wasn’t me anymore. My personality changed, I couldn’t make decisions and I had no motivation. Luckily, I was wearing a helmet – if I hadn’t been, I’d be dead. Cyclists are so vulnerable and I am really keen to encourage them to take extra care on the county’s roads.”
With just under two weeks to go until Surrey hosts the London-Surrey Cycle Classic, which acts as a dress rehearsal for the men’s and women’s Olympic road cycle races next year, more people are choosing to jump on their bikes and try the route that an array of top class athletes will be riding on Sunday 14 August 2011.
To help cyclists and motorists share roads safely, especially in the Box Hill area, Surrey County Council and Surrey Police have launched Cycle SMART, a campaign to encourage motorists and cyclists to look out for one another and share the space on the roads. It forms part of the county council’s and Surrey Police’s Drive SMART campaign, which aims to improve road safety and tackle the problem of selfish and anti-social driving in Surrey.
Over the next few weeks, high visibility signs will be going up in the area to improve road users’ awareness of each other. In addition, a flyer will be distributed to key public information points.
Speaking about the campaign, Neighbourhood Inspector, Terri Poulton, from Surrey Police, said: “We want everyone to enjoy the build-up to this year’s cycle event and the Olympic road races next year, but all road users in our area need to be aware of the dangers of sharing the space with others. Cyclists can keep themselves safe by never riding more than two abreast and riding in single file on narrow or busy roads. They should also manage their speed and wear appropriate safety equipment. Meanwhile, motorists can play their part by giving cyclists plenty of room and avoiding the use of the horn when waiting to overtake.”
Surrey County Council Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Kay Hammond, said: “We’re trying to persuade all road users to abandon their selfish behaviour and give more thought to each other. I would urge motorists to allow cyclists enough time and space and I would ask people on bikes to make sure they obey the rules of the road and wear clothing that makes them visible to drivers and pedestrians. There’s room for everyone to use roads safely as long as we all consider each other.”