Police increase deployment across London for road safety

More than 500 Police officers are being deployed at key junctions across London during an intensive two-week operation to promote road safety for all road users.

The Met’s Safer Transport Command and Transport for London are continuing to build on the success of Operation Safeway which targets unlawful behaviour by motorists, lorry drivers, cyclists and vulnerable road users.

Over the next fortnight starting today, Monday, 23 June, officers will be at busy junctions across London to build awareness and reduce injuries on the Capital’s roads. As part of the operation they will also focus on younger drivers and those who will be staying up to watch World Cup matches and after drinking the night before may not be fit to drive the next day.

Additional policing activity will include a series of ‘Exchanging Places’ events that allow people to sit in the driver’s seat of a HGV get a better understanding of what the driver can and can’t see, especially in regards to cyclists on the nearside and directly in front of the vehicle.

Operation Safeway was launched late last year in response to a series of tragic cyclist and pedestrian deaths on London’s roads. It saw thousands of officers from the MPS deployed at key junctions across the capital, enforcing road safety and giving advice to all road users during rush hours.

Superintendent Rob Revill, MPS Safer Transport Command, said: “The aim of Operation Safeway is to reduce the number of people who die or are injured on London’s roads each year. Every road death is a needless tragedy that is devastating for the victim’s friends and family. Every serious injury is life-changing and distressing.

“The targeted operations began last year and have been hugely effective at raising awareness of road safety among motorists and cyclists, providing a balanced operation which reminds everyone of their duty to take care of each other while out on the roads.”

Steve Burton, Director of Enforcement and On-street Operations at TfL, said: “The Mayor and TfL are passionate about improving road safety across London. This enforcement activity at busy junctions will further help build awareness and reduce injuries on the Capital’s roads. By promoting road safety through enforcing the rules of the road and giving advice to all road users, we can further reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads, making them safer for all.”

TfL’s Road Safety Data shows:

– The number of people killed and seriously injured on London’s roads at lowest level ever
– Number of people killed and seriously injured (KSI) on London’s roads falls 23 per cent during 2013 to lowest levels since records began
– Pedestrian KSIs significantly down during 2013 with the total number down 25 per cent compared with 2012
– Total number of casualties in London down five per cent to lowest level ever
– There were 132 fatalities on London’s roads in 2013, the second lowest number since records began, with fatalities involving pedestrians down six per cent (65 down from 69 in 2012)
– Deaths involving powered two-wheeled riders also fell by 19 per cent (22 down from 27 in 2012), while cyclist deaths remained the same at 14
– During 2013 there were 489 killed and serious injuries to cyclists, compared with 671 in 2012 – this 27 per cent reduction means that around one in every 434,000 cycle journeys made in London end in the cyclist being killed or seriously injured (KSI).