New safety campaign calls for lorry drivers and cyclists to switch places

Under Mayor of London, Boris Johnson’s new strategy, which was put in place today, cyclists will be switching places with lorry drivers in an attempt to train lorry drivers in safe cycling methods. Launched today, the campaign will see lorry drivers become bicycle riders, and bicycle riders become lorry drivers.

The experiment is designed to give each party a view at the other’s restrictions and struggles on the road. Lorry drivers will get a chance to learn safe cycling practices, and cyclists will have an opportunity to see the restricted viewpoints from an HGV vehicle.

The Mayor has allotted £3 million for programmes geared towards encouraging nervy cyclists to become more confident on the road, as well as teaching HGV mirror use to avoid blind spots. Since Boris Johnson became Mayor of London, cycling has risen nine per cent in the city, and he is working on a cycle hire scheme to boost even those numbers.

However, several protest groups have spoken out about the need for increased safety measures to protect the rising number of cyclists taking to the streets of London. According to the London Cycling Campaign, there were ten deaths this year in cycling related accidents.

Boris Johnson, however, told media outlets that cycling is safer now than it had been ten years ago. But that with so many Londoners swapping their vehicles for bicycles, it is imperative to enact cycling safety programmes to educate the public on safe cycling methods.

There will be a city-wide drive to sign up adults and children to Transport London, a free safety and cycle training class for all ages. Last year the same programme ran and trained over 5,800 adults and 39,100 children. In addition to the cycling programmes, Mayor Johnson has announced that at least 12 cycling highways will be constructed as routes to central London. However, some have argued that these routes are not safe enough.