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Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Yahoo
Watch: Cyclists run red lights at roundabout as Khan pledges £6m to protect them
One of London's busiest roundabouts is about to undergo a £6 million revamp over concerns it is 'unsafe and intimidating' for cyclists. Sir Sadiq Khan's Transport for London wants to install a large protective cycle lane at Holland Park under plans to encourage people to 'walk and cycle more and drive less'. TfL says there have been 'a significant number of collisions' in which 59 people, including 14 cyclists and pedestrians, were hurt in the three years up to May 2023. But campaigners claim the changes will cause congestion for motorists, and that cyclists are being prioritised over drivers. Now they say they have proof that more than half of cyclists crossing at the busy junction are jumping red lights. Video footage shows a string of cyclists passing through traffic lights, stopping inside a yellow box area and narrowly avoiding being struck by passing buses. Some can be seen riding across the six-lane interchange in front of oncoming traffic. Campaigners from Save Our Streets (SOS) are now questioning why taxpayers' money is being spent on a project they say penalises drivers to protect cyclists who appear to be wilfully putting themselves in harm's way. Nicholas Bell, a Holland Park resident and cyclist himself, said the scheme was a 'complete waste of money'. He monitored the roundabout to examine the behaviour of cyclists and counted more than 1,000 using the roundabout over four separate days in April, during the morning and evening rush hours. About one in seven pedal bikes and two in five e-bikes entering the roundabout from Uxbridge Road on the roundabout's western arm jumped the lights in their determination to get across as quickly as possible, Mr Bell's analysis found. His weekday counts revealed that more than half of cyclists approaching from Holland Park Avenue, on the roundabout's eastern side, illegally passed through red lights. 'I thought cyclists would be more hesitant at a major junction. I was quite surprised how gung-ho they were,' he said. Danny Lidgate, another campaigner, who runs the 175-year-old butcher's shop Lidgates on Holland Park Avenue, agreed that building more cycle infrastructure when riders already ignore current provision was a waste of time and money. He said he feared TfL's plans would lead to the area around Holland Park and Shepherd's Bush railway station becoming 'jammed up with traffic'. He said: 'All the customers we have coming into our shop, and all the local residents, they all feel the same.' Andrew Boff, the Conservative deputy chairman of the London Assembly, said on a visit to the roundabout with The Telegraph: 'They're going to make life in this area and all around for the residents absolute misery.' Mr Boff said he would tell the mayor of London, whose Vision Zero scheme is driving projects such as the Holland Park roundabout cycle lanes: 'Why don't you pause for breath and actually deliver a scheme that's good for cyclists? 'Focus on where your problem is, and not trying to create year zero at Holland Park roundabout by throwing everything out and then starting again.' Helen Cansick, TfL's head of healthy streets investment planning, said: 'The Holland Park roundabout is an unsafe and intimidating junction for people cycling, and the changes at the roundabout have been carefully designed to tackle road danger while enabling everyone to travel through the area efficiently. 'The results of our consultation showed strong support for the proposed changes. We always take congestion, including impact on bus journey times and air quality, into careful consideration when designing schemes, and we value feedback from local residents and businesses. 'We will continue to engage with the local community as we move forward with these important safety measures. 'Everyone using the roads must obey the law and follow the Highway Code and we continue to work closely with the police to enforce the rules of the road.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
18 hours ago
- Telegraph
Watch: Cyclists run red lights at roundabout as Khan pledges £6m to protect them
Sir Sadiq Khan's Transport for London (TfL) claims it is a death trap for cyclists. That is why one of London's busiest roundabouts is about to undergo a £6 million revamp with a large protective cycle lane to assuage concerns that it is 'unsafe and intimidating'. But a campaign group's footage appear to show cyclists wilfully putting themselves in harm's way, prompting the group to ask why it is drivers who will now be penalised. Save Our Streets (SOS) says it has proof that more than half of cyclists crossing at the busy junction are going through red lights. Video footage shows a string of cyclists passing through traffic lights, stopping inside a yellow box area and narrowly avoiding being struck by passing buses. Some can be seen riding across the six-lane interchange in front of oncoming traffic. Transport for London wants to revamp the Holland Park roundabout under plans to encourage people to 'walk and cycle more and drive less'. TfL says there have been 'a significant number of collisions' in which 59 people, including 14 cyclists and pedestrians, were hurt in the three years up to May 2023. 'Complete waste of money' But Nicholas Bell, a Holland Park resident and cyclist himself, said the scheme was a 'complete waste of money'. He monitored the roundabout to examine the behaviour of cyclists and counted more than 1,000 using the roundabout over four separate days in April, during the morning and evening rush hours. About one in seven pedal bikes and two in five e-bikes entering the roundabout from Uxbridge Road on the roundabout's western arm jumped the lights in their determination to get across as quickly as possible, Mr Bell found. His weekday counts revealed that more than half of cyclists approaching from Holland Park Avenue, on the roundabout's eastern side, illegally passed through red lights. 'I thought cyclists would be more hesitant at a major junction. I was quite surprised how gung-ho they were,' he said. Danny Lidgate, another campaigner, who runs the 175-year-old butcher's shop C Lidgate on Holland Park Avenue, agreed that building more cycle infrastructure when riders already ignore current provision was a waste of time and money. He said he feared TfL's plans would lead to the area around Holland Park and Shepherd's Bush railway station becoming 'jammed up with traffic'. He said: 'All the customers we have coming into our shop, and all the local residents, they all feel the same.' Revamp will be 'misery' for residents Andrew Boff, the Conservative deputy chairman of the London Assembly, said on a visit to the roundabout with The Telegraph: 'They're going to make life in this area and all around for the residents absolute misery.' Mr Boff said he would tell the mayor of London, whose Vision Zero scheme is driving projects such as the Holland Park roundabout cycle lanes: 'Why don't you pause for breath and actually deliver a scheme that's good for cyclists? 'Focus on where your problem is, and not trying to create year zero at Holland Park roundabout by throwing everything out and then starting again.' Helen Cansick, TfL's head of healthy streets investment planning, said: 'The Holland Park roundabout is an unsafe and intimidating junction for people cycling, and the changes at the roundabout have been carefully designed to tackle road danger while enabling everyone to travel through the area efficiently. 'The results of our consultation showed strong support for the proposed changes. We always take congestion, including impact on bus journey times and air quality, into careful consideration when designing schemes, and we value feedback from local residents and businesses. 'We will continue to engage with the local community as we move forward with these important safety measures. 'Everyone using the roads must obey the law and follow the Highway Code and we continue to work closely with the police to enforce the rules of the road.'
Evening Standard
26-04-2025
- Evening Standard
Row intensifies over cycle lane safety plan at dangerous roundabout in west London
The Save Our Streets (SOS) campaign group is disputing the data used by TfL and used Crash Map, an independent website which presents collision data based on records published by the Department for Transport, to argue only one cycling collision is relevant to the roundabout area.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Yahoo
Neighbors, organizations petition St. Pete to invest more to prevent youth gun violence
The Brief Days after a 13-year-old was shot and killed in St. Pete, the community has reignited concerns about youth gun violence. As St. Pete officials begin shaping the city's upcoming budget, residents and community advocates are urging leaders to take stronger action to protect the city's youth. At a recent budget meeting, dozens of residents spoke out, demanding the city allocate more resources toward preventing youth violence. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Over the weekend, police said a 13-year-old boy was shot and killed by his friend while the two were reportedly playing with a gun inside a car. The shooting death reignited community concerns about the growing epidemic of youth gun violence in the city. As St. Pete officials begin shaping the city's upcoming budget, residents and community advocates are urging leaders to take stronger action to protect the city's youth. RELATED:Teen arrested for murder after shooting 13-year-old while victim was recording: SPPD Big picture view While hurricane recovery is a major priority right now, many residents are focused on the damage done to the community hit by gun violence. At a recent budget meeting, dozens of residents spoke out, demanding the city allocate more resources toward preventing youth violence. "I heard from the public a desperate plea to save our youth," said City Councilman Corey Givens Jr. Local perspective Amelia Zimmerman, a local library worker, shared heartbreaking stories from her own experience. Follow FOX 13 on YouTube "Last summer, one of our library kids — just 11 years old — was murdered by another child," she said. "And just last month, there was another child with a gun inside the library during a fight. It was terrifying. I'm scared for these kids." Residents said the violence has taken a toll on their mental and emotional well-being. "I'm tired," said Jay James, a St. Petersburg resident. "I'm tired of waking up or getting phone calls in the middle of the night telling me another baby has been killed. What are y'all doing about it?" Dig deeper The organization, Dream Defenders, is actively petitioning city leaders with a campaign called "Save Our Streets." The campaign calls for targeted investment in Childs Park — a neighborhood hit hard by youth violence — including funding for youth programs and the creation of "community navigator" positions to connect families with available resources. READ: Former New College of Florida employee accused of exposing himself to women in Sarasota mall dressing rooms Givens, who grew up in Childs Park, said too many kids who need help aren't being reached. "There are so many programs out there, but, unfortunately, the programs aren't reaching the kids who need them most," he said. "We have to be more intentional." Last year, St. Pete dedicated $1 million to a youth crime prevention initiative called "Forward Together." Givens believes the city can and should do more — including funding three community navigator positions, which would cost an estimated $150,000. "We are dealing with a storm that has been plaguing our community for far too long — the storm of gun violence," Givens said. "If we don't reach these kids now, they will become our problems in adulthood." As the city finalizes its budget, residents hope their calls for action will not only be heard — but met with meaningful change. The Source The information in this story was gathered by FOX 13's Genevieve Curtis. WATCH FOX 13 NEWS: STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app:Apple |Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
