Euro Rules Threaten Cyclists says CTC

Proposed legislation would require drivers to have front lights switched on all day and seriously undermine cyclists’ safety on the roads. The CTC is urging all cyclists to join its online campaign calling on MEPs to oppose the Commission’s proposals. CTC believes that a blanket requirement to use so-called ‘daytime running lights’ (DRL) would make drivers look for lights and fail to notice cyclists and pedestrians as a result.

CTC’s Campaigns & Policy Manager, Roger Geffen, says “the European Commission is gambling with cyclists’ lives – it’s one Euro lottery we certainly don’t want in the UK. Not only would DRL make the roads a more hazardous place for cyclists, it would increase fuel consumption and greenhouse emissions by as much as 1.5% at a time of mounting evidence that urgent action is needed to tackle climate change.”

To join CTC’s online campaign to oppose compulsory daylight running lights, go to www.ctc.org.uk/campaigns

Bike Station Officially Opens

Andrew Burns uses bolt cutters to ‘open’ the Bike Station.

Although it’s has been in its new premises for several months the official opening took place at lunchtime today. City of Edinburgh Councillor Andrew Burns cut the tape (or inner tube). In recent years he has been responsible for Transport and has been a firm supporter of cycliing.

He is now at Children and Families and has promised to help to increase the amount of Cycle Training available in schools.

Today’s Views Today

Edinburgh based transport campaigning organisation TRANSform Scotland has issued an initial response to today’s Eddington Review on transport and the economy.

Paul Tetlaw, Chair of TRANSform Scotland, said “We welcome the main thrust of Eddington’s report, in particular that the transport sector, including aviation, should meet its full external social and environmental costs. Doing this would at a stroke change peoples’ individual transport choices.

“Eddington is right to say that ‘road pricing is an economic no-brainer’. Government must now move speedily to implement this key policy. It’s high time to stop the general whingeing and get on with the job. This may be an economic report but implementation of the key findings will deliver significant health and environmental benefits for all of us – and that’s another no-brainer.”

From London Transport 2000 broadly welcomed the Eddington Review (as outlined yesterday below) but says “Government must act” – and called for “action by the Government to speed up road pricing, fund rail upgrades and schemes promoting walking and cycling, and a rethink of Government aviation policies.”

“We welcome Eddington’s recognition that large-scale road building won’t solve congestion and that road pricing is essential to the economy. The report also brings key support for investment in small schemes such as walking and cycling and in upgrading rail lines through longer platforms and longer trains. Government must act on this: we want to see programmes of spending on such initiatives as safe routes to schools and improved bus and cycle routes. We need to see action on road charging, with a clear package of measures to bring in a national scheme while investing in alternatives. With this, Government must review the roads programme – with road pricing much of what’s planned will be unnecessary or outdated.”

Motorists ‘must pay for road use’ – BBC Story