Road Safety Campaign Aims Squarely at Bike Boxes

Bike boxes are the focus of the latest road safety initiative by Edinburgh City Council and Lothian and Borders Police.

Personally, I like bike boxes. They give cyclists some breathing space (when they can get to them) and also makes them much more visible to other road users.

The campaign is aimed at both cyclists ("Stop in the box") and car drivers ("Stay outside the box").

The initiative comes a few days after the Council announced work begins on its new "Quality Bike Corridor" in South Edinburgh.

This will upgrade bike and bus lanes on a 2.2 mile route running from the High Street to the University of Edinburgh's King's Buildings campus. (Incidentally, the Bike Station's bike doctor is calling in on the King's buildings this Thursday (12-2pm) for students and staff looking for free bike maintenance.)

The Council also recently announced the start of a 20mph area in the South of the city, and that 5% of the transport budget will be set aside for cycling. You'd never have guessed there was an election coming up, would you?

Cycle safety in Edinburgh has become a major concern after 40-year-old cyclist Brian Simons was killed by a taxi on Corstorphine Road - becoming the fourth cyclist killed in Edinburgh in 12 months.

Later this month, cyclists of all ages are going to Pedal on Parliament to call for more to be done to make roads safer.

Here's the copy from the flier:

Why should motorists stay out of the advanced stop line boxes?

• Cycle boxes offer cyclists space ahead of other traffic at signalised junctions, to move off safely when lights change to green
• The Highway Code requires that motorists stay out of the box when signals are red (or risk a £60 fine and three penalty points)
• Being respectful towards other road users helps in making our streets safer for all

Why should cyclists stop in the box?

• Being positioned ahead of traffic allows cyclists time and space to move off safely when the lights change to green.
• The Highway Code requires that cyclists stay behind the second white ‘Stop’ line when signals are red (or risk a £30 fine)
• Being respectful towards other road users helps in making our streets safer for all

Council and police are holding a roadshow tomorrow at noon at Teviot House, Bristo Square;  Wednesday 4 April at The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and Thursday 5 April - King’s Buildings House (University of Edinburgh).