Editorial Comment
Local community must learn from cyclists’ deaths
Our thoughts go out to the friends and family of Apijak Srivannavit, the Imperial College postgraduate student who was killed in a road traffic accident in South Kensington two weeks ago. He was knocked off his bicycle by a coach at the junction of Queen’s Gate and Cromwell Road [see last week’s Felix, issue 1325].
Mr Srivannavit was not the first person from Imperial College to suffer a tragic death while cycling in the area. Less than three months ago, Thomas Sippel-Dau, an ICT manager, was knocked off his bicycle and killed by a 4x4 vehicle in a hit-and-run incident.
One death could be seen as an anomaly, but two in such a short space of time suggest that something is seriously wrong on Cromwell Road. It is a long, straight route, where drivers appear to break the speed limit very frequently, perhaps as a result of the fact that many come in from the west on the M4 and fail to realise that they need to slow down.
Imperial College and its students’ union should put pressure on the local council and Transport for London in order to protect those who cycle in the area. Any number of traffic calming measures could be introduced, perhaps on a trial basis initially. These would also improve safety for drivers and pedestrians. There is no doubt that the status quo must not be allowed to continue.
The local community must learn from the deaths of Mr Srivannavit and Mr Sippel-Dau, doing all it can to prevent further tragedies. Imperial College Bicycle Users’ Group has information on how you can help at www.union.ic.ac.uk/icbug/cromwell.html. The website includes tips on cycling safely and ways to influence key decision-makers.
