Analysis of police collision files for pedal cyclists in London, 2001 – 2006

There has been a substantial increase in cycling, particularly in central and inner London. The London Travel Report 2007 (Transport for London, 2007) reported that in 2006 the cycle flows on London’s major roads were almost twice as many as in 2000.

This study describes the in-depth characteristics of 92 fatal cyclist collisions in London between 2001 and 2006. These small numbers are not statistically reliable; however, this study provides very detailed qualitative data.

An almost complete set of police collision investigation files were located (85%) which has reduced the potential for selection bias to distort analysis and findings. The process of reviewing the fatal files and considering the interventions that might have been expected to have reduced their number or injury severity has led to a number of recommendations to reduce cyclist fatalities in London. They do not explicitly take account of the wider context in which decisions about cyclist safety must be made.

Transport for London already undertakes varying levels of activity along the lines of some of the interventions described here. The interventions proposed following the review of the fatal files are neither exhaustive nor presented in any order, but are directly relevant to the collisions investigated in this study. The proposed interventions relate to engineering, education (including training and publicity) and enforcement.