Bicycler wrote:Yep, the Great British public did not stop cycling because traffic, they stopped cycling because they got cars and those cars were more convenient to use than their bicycles. Long term strategies to encourage greater cycling would have to look at discouraging motor vehicle use or prioritising cycle travel. But I think we're getting away from the OP, which asked how to improve safety of existing cyclists.
And continuing that off-topic direction:
I believe that the current economic situation in the UK is already providing a massive incentive for people to adopt cycling. As disposable incomes are squeezed (given inflation being somewhat higher than wage/income growth), and the cost of fuel is only going to increase in the longer term, so many who can will take to cycling.
I was told (so I can quote any reference sources) that there are already signs that some two car families are switching to one car + bike and one partner is cycling to work. Of course this is not for everybody but the financial savings from going two cars to one go far beyond the fuel savings.
I believe it is the perfect time for a push for more and better cycling facilities and (to move towards the thread topic), more cyclists, better facilities, etc. will improve safety. After all, dedicated cycle paths are a lot cheaper to construct than roads, cheaper to maintain, don't pollute the atmosphere (EU regs here - which London has "problems" meeting), don't take loads of space when left through the day .... why can't out politicians see this ?
Ian