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Last month, Going Going Bike’s blog featured a campaign by the family of a cyclist killed in a collision with a lorry driver to get European laws on cyclist/lorry safety changed and we are delighted that their efforts have now the support of the majority of European MEPs in the European Parliament.
The family of Eilidh Cairns, who was killed by a lorry while cycling in London’s Notting Hill Gate two years ago in February, have been campaigning to get lorry/trucks/HGVs fitted with sensors and cameras that in turn would help lorry drivers with their blind spots when they turn left/right or are unable to see cyclists beside them.
The campaign, called See Me Save Me, focussed on attempts to get EU legislation on the registration of new HGVs (Directive 2007/38/EC) changed to include the mandatory fitting of sensors and cameras on HGVs. To do this, the European Parliament has to pass a written declaration which then forces the law making European Commission to come up with proposals.
Their local Member of the European Parliament, North East MEP Fiona Hall submitted a written declaration to the European Parliament for such action to be taken (WD81). Declarations require the support (by signing up to it) of 369 MEPs, which is half of the 736 MEPs that are currently members of the Parliament, for proposals to be taken on to the next level.
The See Me Save Me campaign asked for the UK and the general European public to write to their local MEPs to get them to sign the declaration. Going Going Bike along with other cycling media lent a hand to push an appeal for people to lobby their local MEPs into signing the declaration.
The original campaign got over 300 MEPs to sign up to the declaration before a deadline set for it elapsed (February 16). Based on the number of signatures collected, Fiona Hall was allowed apply for a deadline extension on the declaration of three weeks, giving the Cairns family and Ms Hall more time to lobby for more MEP signatures.
The extension of that deadline expired on March 9 with the 369th signature coming just hours before it was due to expire. Since then the declaration deadline expired on Wednesday, support has grown to over 400 MEPs.
The European Commission must now come up with proposals to improve the current law based on the declaration to put before the parliament and then the European Council of Ministers.
Eilidh’s sister Kate Cairns told Newcastle’s Journal newspaper that it had been been fantastic to see so many people rally to the See Me Save Me cause over the past four months and for their hard work to be rewarded.
“I hope that Eilidh’s legacy will be to save the lives of vulnerable road users right across Europe through the creation of safer roads.
“I want to thank every individual who has responded to our plea for assistance. Their action has brought about this result.”
“The reckless stupidity of having huge lorries ‘share’ road space with pedestrians and cyclists without the simple and inexpensive warning systems available must now end.”
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Cheers for that. A mistake on my part
is a comment made by James - Going Going Bike in the blog post called
That is quite something.
Adds an edge to the daily commute.
is a comment made by Steve in the blog post called
Neat idea.
Cycling in a group always feels safer.
It can be lonely on those l
is a comment made by Steve in the blog post called
Well said Roxy.
And well done Goinggoingbike for allowing the comments of the a
is a comment made by Steve in the blog post called
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Cheers for that. A mistake on my part