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Boris Johnson says protesters are 'scaring cyclists' Boris Johnson protesters 'scaring cyclists' claim withdrawn
(about 3 hours later)
Cyclists who staged protests over the deaths of six people in London risk scaring people off switching from cars to bikes, Boris Johnson says. Comments due to be made by London's mayor about cycling protesters "scaring" people away from using bikes appear to have been withdrawn.
The Mayor of London is speaking at an event for cycling and haulage experts which was arranged before the deaths, which happened over a two-week period. In an early draft speech, Boris Johnson was set to say: "Of course I accept that people want to create pressure for action to get more Londoners cycling.
He says he understands the "anger and concern" over the fatalities. "But the risk is that the association of cycling with death... may be scaring people away."
Mr Johnson is also reaffirming his £913m commitment to improving cycle safety in the City Hall speech. At a City Hall event, he instead announced improvements to junctions.
'Redouble' efforts Mr Johnson was due to make the speech at a cycling and haulage event, according to information circulated to the media.
He says: "Of course I accept that people want to create pressure for action to get more Londoners cycling. Instead he said: "There is now a growing chorus of voices who say that the cycling revolution has been going too fast and that we should somehow get all these cyclists off the roads, and people look at me in an accusing way.
"But the risk is that the association of cycling with death may be doing the opposite. It may be scaring people away." 'Shrinking ambition'
Mr Johnson is using the event to examine the case for a ban on HGVs on some London roads and set out deadlines for improvements to dangerous junctions. "This analysis grossly exaggerates my messianic abilities. I am a passionate cyclist, but I am not some kind of Pied Pedaller.
But he also points out that the number of deaths is the same as at this point last year, and lower than the year before. "People go by bike because they love to go by bike.
Mr Johnson says: "The lesson I take from these tragedies is not that we should draw back from our hugely ambitious cycling programme - but that we should redouble our efforts to achieve it." "We must make cycling even safer and wherever accidents take place, we must respond. We must see what could have been done to prevent them, we must immediately work out what we can do to stop them happening again, and we must address people's fears, well-founded or otherwise."
Plans to improve safety in the mayor's Vision for Cycling include a new network of cycle superhighways and back-street "quietways" for cyclists not wanting to ride on main roads. He also announced 33 London junctions would be improved and he reaffirmed his £913m commitment to improving cycle safety.
Mr Johnson said the police's Operation Safeway, set up to improve road awareness, had in the past few weeks led to 755 cyclists and 1,392 motorists being fined for offences such jumping lights in London.
He also pointed out that the number of cyclist deaths is the same as at this point last year, and lower than the year before.
But London Assembly Green Party member Darren Johnson said: "Over two years ago, the mayor promised to urgently overhaul 500 of the capital's most treacherous junctions, but what we are now seeing is the mayor's ambition shrinking as cycle casualties are rising."