Please take care when out on your bike

Data indicates that Greater Manchester is the most dangerous region in the UK for cyclists

New data uncovered by cycling injury specialists Claims.co.uk saw Greater Manchester emerge as the most dangerous region in the UK for cyclists, according to data gathered from police forces across the UK.

Cyclists in Greater Manchester are more likely to be hit by cars than anywhere else in the UK, according to the figures.

This was closely followed by Humberside, West Midlands and Avon and Somerset.

In the last year alone, Greater Manchester police were called out to 433 incidents where cyclists became injured by cars whilst on the road.

This was two times higher than the national average, and a steep increase from 332 incidents in 2016 and 363 in 2015.

Across the country, cyclists remain at serious risk of injury and even death - nationally, 2017 saw UK police attend over 5,340 incidents where cyclists had been injured after being hit by cars.

A report by Department for Transport, which analysed cycling injuries between 2011- 2016, estimates that 62 cyclists are injured on the roads every week, with an average of two of those being fatal. In 2017, Greater Manchester Police saw three cyclist deaths as a result of a car collision.

Campaigning groups such as national cycling charity Cycling UK continue to highlight the dangers that UK roads present to cyclists.

Duncan Dollimore, Head of Campaigns at Cycling UK, states that for vulnerable road users to be less at risk from motor vehicles (which are still the biggest threat to both pedestrians and cyclists) roads and streets need to be better designed with their safety in mind.

He said: “If we want to improve road safety for all of our most vulnerable road users, it would be better to focus on measures to reduce danger from the largest vehicles and design roads and streets which take their needs into account.

"To help with this, Cycling UK have just responded to the Government’s Cycling and Walking safety review (CWIS), with our solutions to achieve safer roads and junctions, safer road users, safer speeds and safer vehicles to make both cycling and walking the natural choice for short journeys.”  

To see how this compares to the rest of the UK, go to www.claims.co.uk/worst-cycling-regions