Eighty people have pledged to attend a "die-in vigil" organised by a protest group following the death of a cyclist on Chelsea Bridge.
Stop Killing Cyclists is calling on Kensington and Chelsea Council to do more to protest cyclists on its roads, and is holding the protest outside council offices on October 12.
It follows the death of a female cyclist, aged 36, who was involved in a collision with an HGV lorry on the Westminster side of the bridge on Wednesday (September 27).
Cycling in the news
An events page on the group’s Facebook page showed that by 10am on Tuesday (October 3), 80 people had said they would attend, while another 168 were interested.
It takes place at Kensington Town Hall in Hornton Street from 5.30pm to 7pm, despite the tragedy occurring in Westminster, and according to Kensington and Chelsea Council, on a Transport for London (TfL) junction.
'Disgraceful opposition'
Promoting the event, Stop Killing Cyclists says the government has failed to make HGVs safer, before criticising the local authority, and accusing it of “disgraceful opposition to all of the proposed London Mayor’s protected cycle highways through the borough”.
It also states: “Kensington & Chelsea failed the tenants of Grenfell.
“For years, they have also lethally failed to protect the thousands of kids, adults and pensioners who want to cycle in the borough.”
In 2013, the Royal borough opposed the Cycle Superhighway 9 (CS9) between Hounslow and Hyde Park because of safety fears and the use of blue paint in Kensington High Street, among other reasons.
Reacting to the vigil, a council spokesman said safety for cyclists is a key priority: “The latest statistics show that fewer cyclists were hurt in Kensington and Chelsea than in most central London boroughs, but we understand that we are not talking about statistics, we are talking people – so one accident is one too many.
“Although the accident took place on a TfL junction we will work with them on all their potential safety schemes in the borough.
“Cycle safety is not just about looking at what can be done on main roads and how lorries are designed, but also looking at options to allow cyclists to more easily use side streets.
“We have created 8km of new Quietway routes in the last year, meaning people can travel around on roads which generally have few heavy vehicles.”
Stop Killing Cyclists is calling on the council to “stop its disgraceful opposition to all of the proposed London Mayor’s protected cycle highways through the borough”, for alterations at the junction of the bridge to improve safety, and safer HGV truck designs.
In October last year 26-year-old Filippo Corsini, an Italian prince, died following a collision with a lorry in Kensington.
Scotland Yard say the Chelsea Bridge cyclist has been formally identified, but is not releasing her name at this time following a request from next of kin.
The 42-year-old lorry driver stopped at the scene. He was arrested and taken to a central London police station.
He has since been released under investigation of causing death by dangerous driving pending further inquiries.
Any witnesses or people with information can call police on 020 8543 5157.
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