Oxford likes to market itself as a cycling-friendly city, but the reality is often very different. There is no more tragic illustration of this than the deaths of four cyclists killed between 2020 and 2022.
Samantha-Sue Blackborow was killed at a junction on Horspath Driftway on 3 November 2020. Jennifer Wong was killed while cycling at the junction of Headley Way and London Road on 26 September 2021. Ling Felce was killed at The Plain roundabout on 1 March 2022. Eileen Moilanen was killed near Oxford Parkway Station in February 2022.
Samantha Sue Blackborow – Horspath Driftway
Samantha Sue Blackborow was a specialist nurse working in Oxford. On 3 November 2020, she cycled along the Oxford ring road then turned into Horspath Driftway, a busy road with a painted cycle lane. She was cycling in the cycle path when an HGV turned left into the retail park and fatally collided with her. At inquest, the HGV driver apologised but said that he had not seen the cyclist. The senior coroner accepted his explanation and stated that there was “nothing practical” that he could suggest to prevent a repeat of the “terribly sad case”.
The coroner was strongly criticised for his lack of suggestions for future improvements. Amongst other things, commentors stated that the coroner could have proposed new, safer segregated cycling infrastructure. He could also have commented on the duty of motorists to ensure that it is safe to turn before doing so.
One possible safety measure that does not seem to have been mentioned is that Oxford could and should have the same safety requirements for HGVs as London, i.e. they must comply with the Direct Vision Standard. Unless Oxford adopts the same Direct Vision Standard as London, there is a risk that HGVs which are substandard for deliveries in London will be allocated for deliveries in Oxford, making Oxford cyclists even less safe than they are now.
A few days after Samantha Sue Blackborow’s fatal accident, additional stencilled physical markings appeared at the Horspath Driftway junction. However, it took more than a year for further measures to be implemented: wands to physically separate cyclists from traffic, and a mini traffic island to mark the start of the cycle lane after the junction with the ring road.
Jennifer Wong London Road/Headley Way
Jennifer Wong was the PA of a Professor at Oxford Brookes University. She was cycling along London Road, one of Oxford’s major arterial routes, when she was killed in a collision with an HGV-mounted crane at the junction with Headley Way. Again, the driver claimed that he didn’t see the cyclist. However, this time, the coroner made a Prevention of Future Deaths report. The Coroners and Justice Act 2009 charges coroners with the duty to make reports where the coroner believes that action should be taken to prevent future deaths.
Again, the HGV was turning left and the cyclist, Jennifer Wong, was cycling straight ahead. The coroner identified that the cycle lane and the left turn lane were designed in such a way that vulnerable road users came “into direct conflict with left turning vehicles”. Significant blind spots for the HGV driver were also identified as was the fact that it was difficult to ascertain which regulations applied to this particular vehicle.
Coroner’s recommendations
In his Prevention of Future Deaths report, the coroner made several recommendations to increase safety at the site. To alleviate the blind spot issue, he suggested that the London Direct Vision Standard should be considered. He noted the already planned improvements at the site: amending the traffic signals to give advanced cyclists priority on green and dropping the kerb to enable cyclists to join Headley Way off carriageway. He asked for an update and for the results of the planned Stage 4 RSA safety audit after the improvements works had been completed. He enquired if a proposed Vulnerable Road User’s Audit could be extended to include this location.
The coroner also suggested that consideration should be given to moving the straight-ahead cycle lane to align with motor vehicles going straight ahead instead of those turning left at this junction. He was concerned that the cycle lane was only 95cm wide at this point instead of the recommended 1.50m and asked if there was a specific reason.
Walking Cycling and Horse-Riding Assessment and Review – Headley Way
Prior to Jennifer Wong’s death in October 2020, the Access to Headington scheme was implemented. As a result of her death, a Walking, Cycling and Horse-riding Assessment and Review (WCHAR) of the Headley Way section of the scheme was commissioned in February 2023 by Oxfordshire County Council.
The surveyor determined that a WCHAR should have been made at the options stage of the scheme, however, this had not been done. Therefore, this had to be a combined assessment and review report. The purpose of the Access to Headington scheme was to improve facilities for pedestrians, cyclists, and public transport users. Despite the improvements made, the report still identified more remedial work needed. Jennifer Wong’s death was caused after the scheme had already been implemented thus proving that it is inadequate.
WCHAR problems identified
According to the 2023 Oxfordshire County Council Walking, Cycling and Horse-Riding Review, cyclists were prevented from accessing the feeder lane into the advanced stop line due to east-bound vehicle queues at the traffic light junction with Headley Way. It also noted directional signage obscured by overhanging trees and signs too close to each other. There was also a lack of signage to warn cyclists of changes from segregated use to shared use and vice versa in several locations.
WCHAR solutions
A large planter at the Headley Way/London Road junction which restricted sight lines has been removed. Signs which were obscured have been moved and now no longer obstruct the pavement or the cycle lanes. Trees have been cut to a higher level. Signage for change to and from shared use has been introduced
The WCHAR report proposed that “cycle route ahead” signs warning motorists at the approach to the Headley Way/London Road junction should be considered. Local cycling activists disagreed. They considered that the left turn arrow for cyclists misleads drivers by implying that all cyclists should turn left here, and none should be cycling straight ahead. This should be removed, and the straight-ahead cycle route should be raised and coloured to make it more visible. This has still not happened.
It should not have needed a review for the trees to be cut back so they no longer obscured signs. This should have been part of routine maintenance. Equally, moving signage so that it was no longer obscured and no longer blocked footpaths and cycle lanes should not have been necessary – they should not have been put in such a poor position from the start. It can only be supposed that part of the reason is lack of funds for local councils for a satisfactory level of maintenance.
What do cyclists think are the problems?
In March 2022, a journalist asked Oxford cyclists what could be done to make cycling safer. The main ask from cyclists was for segregated cycle lanes/tracks – a request which is still to be satisfied by the council. The council repeatedly refers to segregated cycle lanes but does not provide a fully segregated cycle network within the city.
One cyclist wanted cycle lanes integrated into the pavement – clearly, she wanted to be completely separated from the traffic. The Plain roundabout was called “terrifying” by another cyclist. Yet another said that cycle lanes “come and go you never really know where the cycle lane is. Is it on pavement? Is it on the road?”
Shocked by the deaths of three cyclists within six months – all of them female, Oxfordshire County Council adopted a Vision Zero Strategy in June 2022. The Vision Zero plan, adopted in 2022, aims to eliminate all fatal and serious injuries on the roads. It includes road safety and vehicle safety.
A part of its freight strategy, the council included “reviewing cycling and HGVs in order to understand how cyclist casualties can be reduced”. But no mention could be found of using the London Direct Vision Standard which would seem to be the best way to make cyclists safer around HGVs.
The dangerous Headington crossroads, a major entrance into Oxford from the East, still lacks any safety provision for cyclists and the segregated cycle lanes along the main road disappear well short of the cross roads forcing cyclists to join the heavy traffic on the main road. Given that the fatalities are predominantly female, are women justified in being more apprehensive about cycling in traffic than men?
Inadequate measures
Where measures have been taken to make the fatal Oxford junctions safer, they have been tardy and often inadequate. Despite adopting Vision Zero, the Council still seem to have a problem with the attitude of highways engineers and road maintenance crews towards the needs of cyclists. The Council claims to be committed now to Vision Zero – yet it is not clear that they truly understand what measures are needed to make it happen. And clearly these issues apply everywhere there are cyclist fatalities.
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