Sight Concern: blind people avoid High Street over cyclists

Cllr Alan Amos said he will fight any proposals to relax a cycling ban in Worcester High Street as the rules come under review by Worcestershire County Council dividing opinion in the city.

The county councillor for Bedwardine and city councillor for Lower Wick and Pitmaston argues cyclists already flout the rules while the chief executive of Sight Concern in Worcester said some blind and partially sighted people avoid the city centre as it is. 

STOP: Cllr Alan Amos did not hold back in criticising the behaviour of some cyclists in Worcester High Street (Image: James Connell/Newsquest) However, cyclists, including Bike Worcester, have defended the plans to relax the rules for cyclists after Highways cabinet member, Cllr Marc Bayliss, confirmed on September 12 there would be a review of the Traffic Regulation Order’s (TRO).

At the moment this order prohibits cycling on a number of city centre roads, including the High Street between 10am and 6pm.

The chief executive of Sight Concern, Anne Eyre, responded to a statement made by Bike Worcester, addressing Danny Brothwell's comments.

She said: "Danny Brothwell what are your/Bike Worcester’s thoughts about the many blind and partially sighted people who now actively avoid Worcester city centre as a result of their lived experience of people cycling in pedestrianised areas?"

Danny Brothwell responded, saying: "I think that’s terrible, but I’d say to them the risk is overstated (backed up by RTC evidence) and a much bigger risk will be their interactions with people driving cars (again backed up by RTC evidence).

"Do they avoid the riverside paths, or shared use areas of Warndon Villages or St Peter’s? Other cities with ‘pedestrianised’ (low traffic) streets allow cycling, some have ongoing electric scooter trials. There’s nothing special about Worcester.

"What are your thoughts on people who would like to make more journeys by bike in the city, including with children, but are put off by the lack of safe routes, notably through the city centre?

"People wanting more infrastructure and safe routes are apparent in county council surveys on the subject.

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"Modal shift from cars to bikes benefits everybody in the city, residents and visitors alike. If we want to reduce road danger we should focus on 20 mph limits, more modal filters, School Streets and for us all to call out phone use and speeding as antisocial, dangerous and illegal. This will reduce RTCs and therefore damage, injury and death."

Cllr Amos previously said: "If you allow any moving vehicles into it, you no longer have a pedestrianised zone and the city centre shopping area will revert to a dangerous and unwelcoming place to be, especially for the elderly, those with hearing, visual, and physical disabilities, and young children.

"I have already been contacted by one disabled group objecting to this proposal. As it is now, cyclists routinely flout the law. Because cyclists don’t have any identification, they continue to do so with impunity and never get caught."

RECOMMENDED READING: Blind people regularly suffer falls says Sight Concern boss

RECOMMENDED READING: Cyclists 'flout' High Street ban: Amos wins support

In a statement, issued by Bike Worcester, a spokesperson said: "As a result of decades of decisions that prioritise people driving cars over all other forms of transport, we are left with an often gridlocked city with very few alternatives to transport beyond driving. Worcester stands out as a city having almost no segregated infrastructure for people choosing to travel by bike within the city centre. 

"Both the city and county councils are aligned with central government targets in aiming to increase rates of cycling; to achieve this it is essential that safe and direct routes are enabled across the city centre on desire line routes."