The Freight Transport Association recently stated: “We need to see cyclists taking responsibility for their actions, obeying traffic regulations, giving space to HGVs making manoeuvres and generally riding responsibly. Unless you also improve the behaviour of cyclists, the problem (of cyclists being killed and injured by HGVs turning left) will not improve in the way that everyone wants."

There is clear evidence that cyclist competence and behaviour is not the chief contributory factor in the majority of deaths and injuries caused by collisions with lorries. It's extraordinary that someone as senior at the FTA as Policy Director Karen Dee would not be aware of the relevant statistics, or would choose to ignore them. It's important that the government sees the FTA's comments as self-interested lobbying, and tawdry lobbying at that.