London KSIs fall to record low – despite rise in fatalities

London motorcycle

The number of people killed or seriously injured (KSI) on London’s roads fell by 3% in 2015 to the lowest number since records began, despite a 7% rise in fatalities.

Published by TfL today (30 June), the annual Casualties in Greater London report shows 136 deaths on the capital’s roads in 2015, up from 127 in 2014.

However, there were 84 fewer serious injuries (1,956 compared to 2,040) bringing the total number of KSIs in 2015 to 2,092.

In terms of road user types, cyclist safety improved ‘significantly’ in 2015, with fatal and serious injury collisions involving cyclists falling by 10%, and four fewer fatalities (nine down from 13).

The number of pedestrians KSIs decreased by 6%, also to the lowest level on record; however there were two more fatalities compared to 2014 (66 up from 64).

Despite the ‘overall trends of improved road safety’, TfL has expressed concern over the 33% rise in the number of motorcyclist fatalities. In 2015, there was nine more riders killed in road collisions compared to 2014 (36 up from 27).

In March, the London Assembly Transport Committee claimed that TfL is ‘under pressure’ over the rising number of motorcycle deaths in the Capital.

Following a report from the Committee, chair Valerie Shawcross CBE, said TfL must “pay more attention to the safety of motorcyclists”, adding that “they (TfL) know they’ve not done enough to protect motorcyclists in London”.

On the same day that the London Assembly published its report, TfL announced it is ‘strengthening the work it carries out to reduce the number of accidents involving motorcycle and scooter riders in the Capital’.

In 2014, TfL launched its first Motorcycle Safety Action Plan, and says it is working with its partners, including the police and the Motorcycle Industry Association, to maximise the impact of the programme.

TfL adds that its ongoing motorcycle safety marketing campaign is also helping to tackle the main cause of fatal collisions, which it says is “travelling too fast for the conditions”.

Leon Daniels, managing director of surface transport, TfL, said: “We are making good progress in reducing death and serious injury on our roads and meeting our target of a 50 per cent reduction by 2020.

“However, there remains an enormous amount to do and we are, in particular, deeply concerned about the rise in the number of fatal collisions involving motorcyclists.

“We are taking a range of actions to tackle this, including working with the Motorcycle Industry Association, funding for accredited training centres and one-to-one motorcycle commuter training, and improving street design for motorcyclists.”

Councillor Wendy Brice-Thompson, chair of the LRSC, said: “The LRSC is pleased to see that London continues to lead the way in road casualty reduction and is particularly pleased that the recent focus on reducing cyclist and pedestrian casualties seems to be having a positive effect.

“Clearly, there is a need to continue to focus on reducing motorcyclist casualties. Our members and partners are going to have to be innovative in coming up with initiatives to help this road user group.

“Strong partnership working and innovation within the road safety community has been at the heart of London’s casualty reduction successes though, so we are confident that we can make a difference in this area of road safety as we have done elsewhere.”

30 June 2016