Bike lights campaign in Hull hailed a success – but…

A campaign to help cyclists in Hull to stay safe and stay seen during the dark winter months has been hailed a success – but residents feel more enforcement of the law is needed. Hull City Council's Bike Lights For Dark Nights initiative ran from October until this month, with nine events held around the city providing bike lights and reflective gear as well as educating cyclists on the importance of being visible along with reminding them of the key rules of the road. However, a survey published on Hull Live revealed a majority believe the problem of cyclists not having lights would best be solved with tougher law enforcement on rule breakers, including impounding the bikes of those riding without lights. A total of 84 per cent of those surveyed feel this would be the best solution, while 11 per cent said that ensuring all bicycles are sold pre-fitted with lights would be their preference. READ MORE: 32-bed HMO in Hull's Beverley Road with its own cinema blocked amid 'crime and disorder' fears Selfridges in Oxford Street now looks like famous Hull joke shop Dinsdales Handing out free lights was only backed by 3 per cent of respondents, while 2 per cent supported educating cyclists about road safety at night as the main solution to the issue. The survey followed a debate in Hull Live's Traffic & Travel group when a cyclist dressed head to toe in black with no lights on their bicycle was published in November. At the time, one person commented: “Typical – last night must have counted 20 on the roads no lights dressed in black, on the pavement onto the road not stopping at lights.” Funded by Safer Roads Humber, the Bike Lights For Dark Nights scheme aimed to reduce collisions on the cities roads with the final event taking place on Spring Bank this week. Across the nine events, staff from the council, Safer Roads Humber and Humberside Police spoke with hundreds of cyclists and issued 227 sets of bike lights and 102 hi-vis rucksack covers. A cyclist at the Spring Bank and Princes Avenue junction in Hull (Image: Brian Allen / Hull Traffic & Travel) Meanwhile, through the council’s ongoing travel plan engagement with businesses and organisations in the city, staff also visited some of the city’s largest employers, including Hull Royal Infirmary and the University Of Hull, to provide 136 bike light sets and 109 hi-vis rucksack covers to their staff to help keep commuting cyclists safe on the roads. Councillor Mark Ieronimo, cabinet portfolio holder for transportation, roads and highways, said: “The positive feedback we received from those cyclists we engaged with, as part of this initiative, has highlighted the importance of being proactive on this road safety issue. “With the number of people in our city choosing to cycle increasing, we, as a council, have a vital role to play in helping cyclists stay safe and stay seen on the roads during the dark nights of winter. “It is very impor
SEE FULL ARTICLE