More needs to be done to protect cyclists say campaigners

Members of Merton Cycling Campaign said the council appeared to be doing the absolute minimum it could to comply with legislation to make cycling safer in the borough.

A Merton Council spokesman said it had been doing a lot to make its vehicles safer for those on two wheels and two feet, including installing its fleet of refuse trucks with side bars to help prevent cyclists and pedestrians being trapped underneath.

It said it would also be offering free safety training to all haulage companies in the borough.

Merton Council staff member Kris Witherington shows off the new side bars

The bars might have saved the life of Liam Roche, a 35 year-old who died after apparently ducking under the wheels of a heavy goods vehicle in Wimbledon Bridge just over a year ago.

Unemployed Mr Roche, who had mental health issues and had been to the Wimbledon Job Centre earlier that day for a back to work assessment, disappeared from view and was found a short time later with ‘severe, un-survivable head injuries’ in the middle of the road, an inquest into his death heard in January.

But Charles Barraball, borough coordinator of the Merton Cycling Campaign, said Merton Council had to do more to help cyclists.

Former Green party parliamentary candidate Mr Barraball said: "Bolting on side guards (like partially removing the chicanes from Martin Way) does not promote safer behaviours, and it's cheaper - so long as you don't think of the consequences to the borough's own ambitions to increase cycling and reduce public health costs.

"So people will continue to think of people on cycles as putting themselves at risk, regardless of the fact that bikes don't kill, maim or pollute. They remove congestion, and they reduce public health costs to the taxpayers of Merton Council."

He said the council should join Transport for London’s Fleet Operators Recognition Scheme (FORS) set up to guarantee competent and safe lorry operations to a silver and gold performance standard.

The council said it had to achieve bronze accreditation before obtaining higher grades in the scheme.

The installation is part of the council’s drive to make cycling safer and make its heavy goods vehicles compliant with the FORS.

A spokesman said: "All of the council’s lorry and larger vehicle drivers have undertaken the Safer Urban Driver module and from June the council’s road safety team is offering free training to all haulage companies in the borough as part of our commitment to road safety for drivers and cyclists.

"The council is in the process of auditing its entire fleet of 192 vehicles, from waste to its pool cars, as well as all drivers before it registers all vehicles as part of the FORS scheme."