ALL residential areas in Bournemouth should have a 20mph speed limit enforced by cameras which measure average speeds.

That is one of the recommendations in a report which will go before a cyclists group tonight and which will be considered by the borough council.

Lindley Owen, a consultant in public health, produced the report for today's meeting of Bournemouth Cycling Forum.

He says Britain's roads have become safer for car users since 2003 while serious accidents for cyclists have increased by almost half.

The report recommends:

  • Urgent consideration to giving more road space to cyclists.
  • An area-wide 20mph speed limit for all residential areas, enforced by average speed cameras.
  • Consultation on the proposals to follow only after a 12-month pilot project.

Bournemouth is among the most dangerous places in England outside London for cycle accidents.

Mr Owen's report says the town's “large and growing” population of non-UK residents staying for short periods could affect those statistics. Short-term visitors are more likely to be cyclists but will be less aware of the Highway Code.

“In order to achieve a significant increase in cycling for everyday journeys, it has to be demonstrably safe for all, which means segregation from motor traffic,” he writes.

“Fortunately motor traffic levels are in continuous decline, so road space re-allocation can become a 'virtuous circle', as it will accelerate that trend.”

He said segregating cyclists from other users where possible was important. “For a lot of novice and returning cyclists, sharing the road with cars and lorries is simply a no-no. More serious and experienced cyclists can do it but they still have to be careful,” he said.

John Hayter, who chairs the cycling forum, said the report was likely to find favour with members.

“These are very much the national themes of trying to have 20mph zones in residential areas and also district shopping streets like Wimborne Road through Winton,” he said.

“If you want to have thriving district shopping centres, you should enable them to thrive and not make them drive-as-fast-as-you-can highways.”

Bournemouth council won £4.6million last year from the government's Local Sustainable Transport Fund. Together with Poole and Dorset councils, it also secured £12.1million towards improving the A35 through the three towns with an emphasis on sustainable transport.

Cllr Michael Filer, Bournemouth's cabinet member for transport, said he would be at tonight's meeting.

“The reason I want to go is to make it absolutely clear that the council means business as far as cycling is concerned,” he said.

“We'll be launching a new street plan which will show all the existing cycle ways and plan new ones over the next year or two. It's quite an exciting proposal. It's important that we get as many motorists off the road both for their own health reasons and for the green issues as well.”

He said a blanket 20mph speed limit in residential areas would not be practical. But he said: “There are 20mph areas in the town and we're looking at more.”

Mike Chalkley, former chair of the cycling forum, said the proposals would not work on their own.

He said side roads should be declared “non-arterial”, with measures to stop drivers using them as through routes.

“People are afraid to cycle because the roads are terrible for children, for older people, for a lot of women. They don't feel safe out there,” he said.

CYCLING CASUALTIES

Cycling in Bournemouth has been getting more dangerous while driving has become safer, according to figures in Lindley Owen's report.

When serious accidents are ranked per million of resident population, Bournemouth has the fifth highest casualty rate in England outside London, he says.

Yet for serious casualties among car occupants, the town comes out 113th.

Between 2008 and 2011, an average of 64 people a year were admitted to hospital after a cycling injury.

The figure was 136 for the Dorset County Council area and 76 for Poole.

Lindley Owen believes the figures show “risk transference” - the problem that when drivers feel safer, they drive less carefully.

“If you have a vulnerable road user, just that little bit of extra speed makes injuries more severe and makes death more likely,” he said.

He argues that reducing the consequences of human error is the key to safety improvements.

“Google have been running driverless cars for years and there's never been a single injury or death. If you remove the human element, you make the road much safer. You can't remove the human element from pedestrians but you can remove it for what are in the wrong hands lethal weapons.”