Campaigners sent a strong message by placing six "ghost bikes" outside County Hall to symbolise those who have died on Norfolk's roads this year.

A coalition of city organisations placed the six white bicycles while children and parents called on Norfolk County Council to take action to ensure no one else dies travelling by bike.

The coalition includes groups including Norwich Cycling Campaign, Car-Free Norwich, Kidical Mass Norwich, Living Streets Norwich, Norwich Friends of the Earth and Extinction Rebellion Norwich.

It comes after protestors started a mass bike ride from outside The Forum at the weekend, to call for changes to be made to Norfolk's roads.

Peter Silburn, chairman of the Norwich Cycling Campaign, said: "Each of the six white bikes represents a failure to keep people safe on our roads.

"These six deaths were not inevitable.

Eastern Daily Press: The bikes were created to symbolise the six cyclists who died this year on Norfolk RoadsThe bikes were created to symbolise the six cyclists who died this year on Norfolk Roads (Image: Stuart Beard)

"These deaths are not accidents, they are the result of policies that prioritise the convenience of car drivers over people’s safety."

Seventy postcards demanding action, written by children and parents, were also handed to the county council's cabinet member for highways, infrastructure and transport Graham Plant on Monday.

A county council spokesman said: "We received the postcards and representations from Kidical Mass and the Norwich Cycling Campaign.

"We will be meeting with those groups to discuss their concerns.

"In the meantime, we'll take the time to listen and review the comments we've received."

Mr Plant accepted the cards from Thomas Woods of Kidical Mass and Peter Silburn from the Norwich Cycling Campaign.

Fern Blevins, of Kidical Mass Norwich, added: "Children today have less freedom than generations before.

"Sharing the road with heavy traffic means it's often no longer safe for them to make journeys to school, or to friends, on their own.

"So many people – both children and adults – would like to cycle but don’t feel safe doing so on Norfolk’s roads.

"Who can blame them? The tragic deaths this year should be a wake-up call to our councillors to prioritise the most vulnerable road users.

"Installing a network of safe and connected cycleways will benefit everyone..

"These postcards represent the voices of children and families from the Kidical Mass ride, and give an indication of how many children feel let down by car-centric road planning in Norfolk."

Ben Steward died when he was involved in a collision with a white VW Golf on the A140, near Earlham Crematorium, on February 27.

Dominique Avinido Hechanova, 39, died at the scene after a crash involving a grey Peugeot 308 along the B1108 Brandon Road in Watton on March 1.

On the evening of August 10, 13-year-old Alfie Brown was hit by a white Ford Ranger truck in Swafield while cycling home to North Walsham.

Well-known Norwich swimming coach Jane Blackwell died after a collision with a red Renault Laguna at the junction of Albermarle Road, in Newmarket Road, on August 20.

Most recently, two men in their 30s riding electric bikes died at the scene of a collision with a red Mini Cooper, along the A143 Bungay Road in Billingford, near Diss.

https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/23827602.ghost-bikes-put-outside-county-hall-norwich-campaigners/

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:

> Campaigners sent a strong message by placing six "ghost bikes" outside
> County Hall to symbolise those who have died on Norfolk's roads this year.

> https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/23827602.ghost-bikes-put-outside-county-hall-norwich-campaigners/

What an appropriate number. Data over several years shows that 1 in 6
cyclist deaths arise in Single Vehicle Accidents.

How is that to be stopped?

--
Spike

The 70 postcards from children handed to Graham Plant, with Peter Silburn (left) and Paul Neale, Green Party county councillor (right) (Image: Stuart Beard)

https://www.edp24.co.uk/resources/images/17287491.jpg?type=mds-article-620