How Sadiq Khan’s cycle highways are forcing Londoners to dice with death: Shocking video exposes selfish bikers repeatedly refusing to give way for pedestrians at ‘floating’ bus stop
- EXCLUSIVE: Cyclists are filmed ignoring pedestrians 19 times at a bus stop
- London Mayor will not halt building stops which have cycle lanes through them
Selfish bikers have been caught on camera repeatedly ignoring pedestrians at one of London’s many ‘dangerous’ floating bus stops, which force passengers to take a ‘leap of faith’ through a cycle highway.
Footage shows riders of bicycles, e-bikes and e-scooters refusing to stop as pedestrians try to board and alight buses, which are separated from the stop by a cycle lane – and campaigners have hit out at their reckless behaviour.
The Highway Code states: ‘Cyclists should give way to pedestrians on shared use cycle tracks’ and that they ‘should always take care when passing pedestrians, especially children, older or disabled people, and allow them plenty of room’. It adds, bikers should: ‘Always be prepared to slow down and stop if necessary’.
1. A fast cyclist refusing to stop for a woman trying to cross the cycle highway from the bus to the pavement at the shared bus stop boarder on Lea Bridge Road, in Waltham Forest, north-east London on March 29
2. A man riding an electric unicycle at breakneck speeds down the cycle highway
3. Passengers getting off the bus had to to dodge to get out of the way of this cyclist who did not stop
4. These cyclists did not stop as they saw passengers alight the bus and had to weave past them
5. This cyclist narrowly avoided a collision with this pedestrian who appeared to be waiting for a bus about to pull into the stop
6. A cyclist riding a fold-up bike did not stop as these children did got off the bus on their way home from school
7. A cargo bike cyclist and another cyclist swerved around a blind man waiting at the bus stop and a woman in a wheelchair (right) trying to get on the bus
8. This cyclist did not stop for a passengers getting off the bus – to the point that one had to dart out of his way
9. These two cyclists did not stop to let these bus passengers cross the cycle highway
‘Floating bus stops’ – or in TfL’s language ‘shared use bus boarders’ (SUBBs) – have a cycle lane between the bus shelter and the road – forcing passengers to venture through incoming bike traffic to board their bus.
Blindness campaigners were so concerned they spent five hours filimg at a shared use bus stop in Waltham Forest, catching no fewer than 19 potentially dangerous incidents involving cyclists and e-scooter riders on camera.
Their shocking footage, shared with MailOnline, comes after three cyclists were caught on camera failing to stop for two disabled bus passengers at the same stop on Lea Bridge Road last Wednesday afternoon
It also comes after Department for Transport data revealed that 2,472 pedestrians were injured in crashes involving a bicycle between 2016 and 2021. In that period there were 771 serious injuries and 15 deaths.
Activists also slammed London Mayor Sadiq Khan for continuing to allow the development of cycle lanes through bus stops, including SUBBs and floating bus stops, despite warning him of the dangers they pose to pedestrians – especially blind and vulnerable pedestrians.
Cycling has soared in popularity since the pandemic and Sadiq Khan has pushed for a rapid expansion in the number of cycle highways. But cyclists have been accused of endangering pedestrians by refusing to stop where pavements and cycle lanes meet.
This shocking footage comes six years after the tragic death of Kim Briggs who was crashed into by a cyclist.
‘Callous’ cyclist Charlie Alliston – who showed ‘no remorse’ after killing a mother-of-two while riding an illegal bike – was handed an 18-month sentence.
He was travelling at 18mph on an Olympic-style bike with no front brakes when he crashed into 44-year-old Kim Briggs as she crossed the road on her lunch break.
Former McDonald’s worker, courier and scaffolder Alliston smashed into the HR executive with his ‘fixie’ bike in Old Street, London in February 2016.
Mrs Briggs suffered catastrophic head injuries in the collision and died in hospital a week later.
Tensions between cyclists, pedestrians and motorists arguing over road space have been rising though as more cycle lanes though pavements and roads forces people to share space.
Sadiq Khan has refused to pause the development of floating bus stops. In a letter to the National Federation of the Blind UK (NFBUK), who say floating bus stops and SUBBs discriminate against blind people, the mayor said a review into them by Living Streets will be completed later this year and he ‘looks forward to reading it’.
While the London mayor has claimed only a minority of cyclists break the highway code by not stopping for pedestrians, but NFBUK have disputed this claim, saying that cyclists frequently break the rules.
In video shared NFBUK, cyclists and e-scooter riders are seen bombing past and narrowly missing pedestrians are seen at a bus stop on Lea Bridge Road in Waltham Forest, north-east London.
Blindness activists slammed London Mayor Sadiq Khan (pictured) for continuing to allow the development of cycle lanes through bus stops
10. This cyclist did not stop to allow a mother with a pushchair and another passenger with a shopping caddy to get off the bus safely
11. Instead of stopping to let passengers off the bus, this cyclist rang his bell at them and continued to pedal
12. A woman who appears to have a mobility issue (in the green coat) is overtaken by a cyclist after she got off the bus
13. A man on a sit-down electric scooter flew past a woman by the bus at a great speed
NFBU President Andrew Hodgson, who is himself blind, is seen at the bus shelter as a cargo bike swerves left onto the pavement narrowly missing him and another bicycle pedals closely past him on his right.
The bicycle on his right also closely avoids a woman in a wheelchair who is trying to board the bus.
Mr Hodgson said these designs are ‘not fit for purpose’. He added: ‘It really is totally inaccessible. These sorts of designs need to be scrapped, those that have been installed need to be taken out and there need to be no new ones.’
He added: ‘If I had tried to get on that bus I could have been injured and if I had stepped back it could have been worse because the cargo bike is more substantial.
‘This would deter me from using buses in that area and put me off using bus stop bypasses anywhere – we can’t be certain that we’re safe.’
Many other near misses and cases of inconsiderate cycling were filmed at the same bus stop, between around 2pm and 7pm last Wednesday, March 29.
Six years ago ‘callous’ cyclist Charlie Alliston (left) – who showed ‘no remorse’ after killing mother-of-two Kim Briggs (right), 44, while riding an illegal bike – was handed an 18-month sentence
Charlie Alliston was travelling at 18mph on an Olympic-style fixed-wheel track bike
These include a cyclists zooming past passengers who had just got off the bus, in same cases making the pedestrians hop out the way or suddenly stop in their tracks – or bikers having to weave to avoid hitting people.
One incident shows a cyclist ring his bell as he tries to pass bus users who have just got off, instead of stopping to let them get across the cycle highway.
Another cyclist does not stop as a mother with a pushchair and a woman with a personal shopping trolley alight the bus, and instead just swerves around them.
As the border between the cycle lane and the pavement cannot be easily felt with a white stick, Mr Hodgson said he and other blind people will be left unsure if they are in the middle of the cycle lane.
He said: ‘The demarcation between the cycle lane and the pavement is pathetic… they’re just expecting you to just step out into the middle of a cycle lane.’
‘It really is extremely dangerous,’ said Mr Hodgson.
14. A woman with a mobility walker had two cyclists zoom past her as she tried to board the bus
15. A girl had to wait for this cyclist who did not stop for her as she got off the bus
16. A woman with children (left) had to wait for a cyclist (wearing a pink coat) to pedal past in order to get on the bus
17. A man (holding the yellow bag) had to suddenly stop himself as he stepped off the bus as a cyclist and someone riding an electric skateboard zoom past him
18. A man waiting at the bus stop was stopped from crossing as a cyclist pedalled past
19. These two cyclist pedalled past a man trying to board the bus
NFBUK street access campaign coordinator Sarah Gayton slammed Mayor of London Sadiq Khan for allowing the construction of cycle lanes through bus stops, which have become more common since Transport for London (TfL) increasing the number of cycleways in the capital since the pandemic.
Ms Gayton, 52, said that the shared spaces ‘discriminate’ against blind and other vulnerable pedestrians, and that the new associated danger of being hit by a cyclist when boarding or alighting a bus has resulted in some now being too afraid to use them, leaving them isolated.
‘I am positive that people have been hurt at these bus stops but the data has not been properly recorded. I had spoken to a gentleman who was a cyclist who got into an accident with a pedestrian and he hasn’t cycled since.’
Last week, a woman was filmed having to wait for more than half a dozen cyclists and an e-scooter rider who did not stop for her at a zebra crossing in at Elephant & Castle, before she found a window walk across.
And dozens of reckless cyclists were filmed ignoring pedestrians using at a zebra crossing at a floating bus stop in London earlier this year.
Footage showed a string of selfish bikers and e-scooter riders speeding past people trying to walk across a crossing in Farringdon Street, London — with some cyclists even swerving around pedestrians.
Pictured: National Federation of the Blind UK president Andrew Hodgson (left), who is blind, waiting at the Lea Bridge Road bus stop before two cyclists narrowly miss him and a woman in a wheelchair (right) trying to board the bus
The cargo bike turned onto the path narrowly avoiding Mr Hodgson’s back
A cargo bike swerves left onto the pavement narrowly missing Mr Hodgson (in the blue jacket) and another bicycle pedals closely past him on his right, narrowly missing the wheelchair-user boarding the bus
In 2020, a bus stop similar to the one in Waltham Forest was blasted as ‘crazy’ by commuters who were forced to dodge speeding cyclists as they get on and off bus near Kings Cross.
The elderly and young parents with buggies were among those who face the risk of being knocked down as they attempt to cross the newly built cycle lane.
The lane is aimed at protecting cyclists on a busy road stretching from Kings Cross to Tufnell Park in north London.
But one commuter who was almost hit by a cyclist as he exited the No 390 bus near Kings Cross told Mail Online the installation was an ‘accident waiting to happen’.
At the time he said: ‘There are no warning signs and people getting off the bus have no idea that cyclists are bearing down on them.
‘I was almost hit by a cyclist as I stepped off the bus. Imagine how hard it must be for a young mum with a pram trying to exit backwards. It really is crazy.’
It is believed that this bus stop still has a cycle lane running through it.
In 2020, a bus stop similar to the one in Waltham Forest was blasted as ‘crazy’ by commuters who were forced to dodge speeding cyclists as they get on and off bus near Kings Cross
A cycle lane which runs right through the middle of a bus stop was blasted as ‘crazy’ by commuters who are forced to dodge speeding cyclists as they get on an off the vehicle
The elderly and young parents with buggies were among those who face the risk of being knocked down as they attempt to cross the newly built cycle lane
Ms Gayton insisted this style of bus stop was endangering passengers, and she asked: ‘Are you going to wait until somebody is killed before you do anything?’
She also noted that another London borough, Islington, had already removed a bus stop of this design in 2016, after they acknowledged it did not meet equalities standards.
‘The design is fundamentally flawed and dangerous, Ms Gayton told MailOnline. ‘It creates conflict between cyclists and pedestrians.
‘Why would they design a scheme where any bus passengers – let alone blind and disabled ones – have to get off the bus directly into an active cycle lane? It’s just not safe.
‘For blind and visually impaired people they can’t see into that cycle lane, so they aren’t confident that they are not stepping into moving traffic. They haven’t got a clue what’s in front of them.
‘We’re not going to take that leap of faith to catch the bus.’
Diagram of a shared use bus stop boarder like the one on Lea Bridge Road in Waltham Forest, north-east London
A diagram of a floating bus stop, also known as a bus bypass, which are becoming more common in London
NFBUK wrote to Sadiq Khan to warn him that the shared use bus boarders and floating bus stops (or bus bypasses) were dangerous for pedestrians, but Ms Gayton criticised the Mayor after he refused to commit to pausing new construction.
The charity has also highlighted the dangers of floating bus stops, which are similar to a SUBBs, but passengers instead cross a separated cycle lane which has a zebra crossing to a bus island.
Floating bus stops have been introduced across the country as part of travel schemes to accommodate bike lanes, which TfL says is the safest option.
But a study from Denmark comparing bicycle crashes with passengers before and after similar bus stops were developed showed a rise of more than 1300 per cent.
Ms Gayton said: ‘When we had the meeting with Seb Dance [Deputy Mayor of London for Transport] we asked for a meeting with the Mayor and Seb said he would ask him.’
Since then, Ms Gayton said has repeatedly requested a date for the meeting but it has not yet been arranged. She said: ‘Why hasn’t he set a date to meet with us? What is he scared of? Why isn’t he facing up to meet with the people he said he would meet twice? I’m shocked.
‘It would appear Sadiq Khan is ignoring us deliberately – the longer he waits to talk about it the more of these discriminatory and dangerous bus stops are built.’
Cyclists were filmed racing past people as they tried to cross the street in February this year in Farringdon. Bike users are meant to stop to wait for pedestrians to cross the road
Some cyclists even swerved in between pedestrians who were trying to cross the road
Even when a pedestrian was waiting to cross the road, a slew of cyclists pedalled past, forcing the person to wait
Ms Gayton said that officials she has spoken to had accepted there was a problem with the shared bus stop, so she questioned why the Mayor was not stopping their construction which were ‘designing disabled people out of public transport’.
‘We need to show the Mayor a very short film of the reality of what is happening at these bus stops. He needs to see it for himself. It is terrifying.
‘It’s like the wild west out there, these bus stops are dangerous and out of control. And the Mayor has officers telling him that it’s only a minority causing the problem, but it’s actually the majority breaking the rules.’
Ms Gayton added: ‘To design disabled people out of getting on public transport, is absolutely not acceptable. Especially for the city that held the 2012 Paralympics, where is that legacy?’
‘The Mayor should hold his hands up and say “these are not working”. It’s worse to continue if you know there’s a problem.
‘But I’m angry at TfL as they aren’t doing anything about it and stringing us along.’
A woman had to wait for more than half a dozen cyclists and an e-scooter rider who did not stop for her at a zebra crossing in Elephant & Castle last week
In January the NFB handed a petition to the Prime Minister appealing for the government to stop using such bus stops as they are ‘not safe or accessible for blind, visually impaired and many vulnerable groups of bus passengers, as they create a barrier to accessing public transport independently’.
The petition has been signed by 163 blindness and visual impairment organisations.
People took to cycling at a massive rate during the pandemic. The number of miles travelled by cyclists rose by 46.1 per cent in 2020 compared to 2019, and 15.7 per cent in 2021 in relation to the same year.
Meanwhile, the number of cycle lanes in London alone rocketed during Covid as councils jumped on the bandwagon to cut down on car use.
In 2021 Sadiq Khan’s cycling tsar Will Norman revealed 62 miles of cycle lanes were built across London in just 12 months.
The walking and cycling commissioner’s admission came despite a court ruling the schemes were unlawful.
Critics say the measures have also blocked emergency response vehicles and caused problems for local businesses in towns and cities across the UK.
There have also been suggestions making space for cars more narrow increases congestion while many cycle lanes are empty.
In January, the High Court ruled that guidance issued by the Mayor to promote the expansion of schemes was ‘irrational’ and unlawful because it failed to safeguard road access for taxis and disabled people.
The judge said authorities ‘took advantage of the pandemic’ to turn parts of London into car-free zones.
Justice Lang ruled London’s ‘Streetspace’ scheme was ‘seriously flawed’ and ‘took advantage of the pandemic’ to push through ‘radical’ and permanent road changes.
The judgment followed a legal challenge by organisations representing black cab drivers who were angry about being banned from a new bus-only route on the A10.
Cycling (in grey) across Britain rose during lockdown as usage of other forms of transport such as rail and driving fell dramatically
This graphic from Transport for London shows all the cycle lanes in place across the capital
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan oversaw a rapid construction of a cycling network using temporary bollards during the pandemic
A spokesperson for the Mayor said: ‘TfL’s approach is in line with Government guidance and both bus stop bypasses and bus stop borders are a nationally recognised approach for avoiding the dangers of cyclists going around buses into oncoming traffic.
‘The Mayor is committed to making London a more inclusive city and supporting more people to walk, cycle and take public transport. This is why he has asked TfL to review the data on collisions around bus stops in order to evaluate if any design improvements are needed.
‘The Mayor has also written to NFBUK to share details on the work TfL has done with a range of stakeholders, to establish a layout that meets inclusive design standards and is in line with central government guidance. His team have reiterated that they will keep in touch and continue working hard to ensure all of London’s infrastructure is as safe as possible for all road users.’
Helen Cansick, TfL’s Head of Healthy Streets Investment, said: ‘Keeping everyone travelling in the capital safe is our top priority and the needs of blind and partially sighted people are always taken into consideration when designing cycle lanes. Bus stop bypasses and shared use bus borders are a nationally recognised approach for avoiding the dangers of cyclists going around buses into oncoming traffic. TfL and the London Boroughs, like many cities across the country, have integrated this approach into the cycleway programme and there has been a dramatic increase in number of people cycling in the city.
‘We have met with the NFBUK to discuss this, and other such facilities, and are conducting a review of safety at these facilities. We welcome all feedback on our cycle routes and will continue to work with disabled people and accessibility groups, taking people’s concerns into account to ensure that changes to our roads work for everyone.’
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