A cyclist’s near-miss with a bus on Kingsland Road last Tuesday has sparked renewed concerns about cyclist safety and the impact of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) in Haggerston.
Daniel Ovalle, an architect and PhD student, was overtaken by a bus which then suddenly pulled into a stop. “I ended up sandwiched between bus and kerb,” said Ovalle.
“Kingsland Road in particular is quite problematic as it has a lot of buses, a lot of local traffic combined with lots of cars turning left and right and lots of cyclists added to the mix without a properly segregated lane,” he added.
“TfL drivers don’t seem to be properly trained in how to deal with cyclists, particularly less skilled ones,” said Ovalle, “[it] sets a really bad example.”
Tom Cunnington, Head of Buses Business Development at TfL, said that all bus drivers received extensive safety training.
“The training is continuously evolving to take into consideration any shifts in how people travel, such as increases in the number of people cycling, and drivers undertake regular refresher training,” Cunnington added.
Several local anti-LTN campaigners told the Hackney Post they had concerns about the increase in LTNs in the area making main roads busier, and therefore less safe for cyclists.
Despite his near-miss, however, Ovalle remains in favour of LTNs. “I also drive a car and still think LTNs are great to keep as many streets as possible safer for pedestrians and cyclists, and clear of congestion for emergency vehicles,” he said.
