I contacted Tfl Customer Services with comments, as I was alerted by my local police officers that Tfl intends to implement steps to reduce road accidents significantly within 5 years. It was Customer Services who directed me to FOI presumably to allow Tfl Customer Services to provide me with a copy of the technical assessment using accident statistics and data on injuries. I do not know whether such documents already exists, or will be prepared in the future; or not prepared at all. I would be content to receive a copy of such risk assessment with, or without, FOI clearance. I shall try to make my point as clear as possible in the hope the Tfl staff, including yourself, can understand it. 1. Injuries by vehicles to cyclists are likely to be much more severe than those caused by cyclists to pedestrians on pavements. This inevitably follows from the fact that the kinetic energy of vehicles is orders of magnitude greater than those of cyclists. 2. If all cyclists used empty pavements there is no doubt that the rates of injuries to them would be reduced as there are no pedestrians to harm. The total number of injuries would be reduced. 3. If some cyclists used relatively empty pavements, in a considerate manner to pedestrians, cyclists would be subject to a lower risk than on the road and pedestrians would be exposed to an increased risk. 4. By balancing the two factors, in a judicious manner using accident statistics, the number and seriousness of injuries could well be reduced compared with restricting cyclists to the roads, even when pavements are relatively empty. May I please have your risk assessment to justify your decisions. If Tfl does not wish me to have a copy, or no such assessment will be done, please advise me accordingly. Yours sincerely

---

TfL Ref: 1733-1819

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 29 September 2018 asking for the risk assessment which justifies TfL’s decision to implement steps to reduce road accidents significantly within 5 years.

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy.

We do not hold the risk assessment which you requested for the reasons provided below.

The Mayor and Transport for London (TfL) have committed to a Vision Zero approach to tackling road danger in London. This approach includes the ambition to eradicate deaths and serious injuries from London’s roads by 2041. This is not based on risk but on an evaluation of the actual number of recorded deaths and serious injuries – 3,881 in 2017. Please see http://content.tfl.gov.uk/casualties-in-greater-london-2017.pdf for more information.

The Vision Zero action plan published in July 2018 contains further information on the Mayor’s objectives and programme for achieving Vision Zero. In the development of the Vision Zero action plan, TfL has not undertaken a technical risk assessment to determine the balance of risk between encouraging cyclists to ride on the footway and requiring them to ride on the road. In England it is an offence for cyclists to ride on the pavement. It is not within our powers to make changes to this law in London and so we do not consider the need for a technical risk assessment to consider the respective balance required between encouraging cyclists to ride on the road or cycle tracks compared to riding on the pavement.

The Vision Zero action plan is available here: http://content.tfl.gov.uk/vision-zero-action-plan.pdf

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.

Yours sincerely

Sara Thomas

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

Back to top

---