Cyclist collides with truck on Camden High Street

A cyclist was knocked off her bike by a skip truck whilst cycling along Camden High Street towards Camden Lock. The cyclist, who is in her 20’s is in hospital today with what are expected to be life-changing injuries.

Witnesses say that the cyclist had been travelling on the right-hand side of the tipper truck heading straight along the road when the truck turned left into Delancey Street, colliding with the bike and dragging it under its front wheels. Passer-by’s relating hearing a “shocking scream” as the bicycle was dragged under the truck.

The 44-year-old driver of the lorry was later arrested on suspicion of careless driving. He remains in custody at a north London police station.

There have been eight cycling fatalities in London this year, with many of the accidents involving HGVs.

In September the rising death toll from accidents involving cyclists and lorries prompted London Mayor Boris Johnson along with the department for transport (DFT) to announce compulsory safety measures for HGVs. These measures include:

1. DFT and TFL to establish new industrial HGV task force to take direct action against dangerous HGV drivers, vehicles and operators
2. DFT to review exemptions to current HGV regulations
3. Call for European Union to speed up its review on the design of HGVs to increase drivers’ visibility of vulnerable road users
4. DFT and the Driving Standards Agency issuing a call for evidence about how driver training could change
5. The Mayor is also asking Londoners for their views on whether he should use his powers to levy a substantial “safer lorry charge” on any HGV which is not fitted with basic safety equipment to protect cyclists

Ben Posford, partner and head of catastrophic injuries at Osbornes comments:

“The types of injuries sustained in an incident like this are often life-changing with the individual and their family requiring years of support. It is so important that the individual, as well as medical care, has access to rehabilitation and physiotherapy care straight away, appropriate to the injuries which have been sustained”.