Cartoon highlights the changing face of London’s road network

LRSC January Cartoon large

A road safety cartoon commissioned by the London Road Safety Council (LRSC) highlights how much the Capital’s road network has changed over the last 100 years.

LRSC has commissioned the cartoonist Steve Simpson to produce a series of 12 cartoons which are published monthly via the LRSC Facebook page. Launched in April 2016, the campaign aims to deploy humour in an attempt to encourage positive behaviour change.

January’s cartoon (pictured), shows road users from 1917 travelling in one direction, with their counterparts from today heading in the other. It has been published as LRSC enters its centenary year, which is being marked with a special one-day conference* later this month.

The first cartoon addressed cyclists and the issue of cycling up the left hand side of HGVs. It shows a cyclist dressed in a full suit of knight’s armour, with his accomplice saying she’s ‘still not convinced it’s safe to cycle up the left side of lorries’.

June’s cartoon, which ran during the EURO 2016 football tournament, encouraged road users to pay attention to the road, irrespective of what is going on around them or happening in their lives. It depicts a motorcyclist draped in an England flag, dreaming about his country scoring a goal – as opposed to looking at the road.

Other issues covered in the series include texting and driving, drink driving, speeding and crossing the road with children.

*The centenary conference, ‘Safer Cities, Safer Futures’, is being held at the Guildhall in the City of London on 24 January 2017. Sponsored by RedSpeed International, the agenda covers key road safety issues relating to London and other cities around the UK, including cycling, shared space schemes, motorcycling, 20mph limits and driverless cars.

More than 170 people will attend the event, but there is still time for others to register – click here to do so, or call Sally Bartrum or Nick Rawlings on 01379 650112.


13 January 2017