Worthing ranked 21st-worst area for cycling accidents

There were 61 accidents per 100,000 people in the borough last year, analysis by JPIMedia has found.

While there were no fatalities, 2019 saw 68 cyclists injured in Worthing – with 19 of these suffering ‘serious’ injuries, according to data from the Department for Transport.

This represents a 15 per cent increase when compared with the number of casualties in 2018.

Across the UK, more than 17,000 cyclists were injured or killed on the roads last year.

A total of 102 cyclists lost their lives, nearly 4,000 were seriously injured and over 3,000 were slightly injured.

While the overall number of casualties has fallen every year since 2016, the number of people seriously injured has increased by nine per cent.

Only incidents reported to police are included, while figures prior to 2016 cannot be compared as many police forces changed their definition of a serious injury.

The average age of casualty was 36 last year, with the vast majority of victims being men.

The figures have sparked calls for improved cycling infrastructure.

The walking and cycling charity Sustrans said safety was a key barrier to more people taking up cycling.

Director Daisy Narayanan said: “While cycling is a relatively safe activity, we need to continue to make our streets safer for people who cycle and to increase people’s perception of safety.

“In order to ensure cycling safety across the board, we need strong leadership in walking and cycling at the local level.

“Local authorities should work to create safer, better streets and places through the implementation of protected cycle routes and low traffic neighbourhoods, whilst taking into account the local context.”

In Adur, 28 people were injured when cycling in 2019, of whom six were ‘seriously injured’.

This represents a slight drop from the 31 casualties in 2018 and the 32 in 2017.

Campaign group Shoreham-by-cycle said: “Just a single person injured or killed in Adur and Worthing while using a bike is a tragedy - but mile-for-mile, cycling is no more dangerous than walking.

“There is an added problem, though: a perception of danger puts people off cycling, and so we miss out on all the advantages that come from more people using bikes for short journeys.

“The best way to ensure people are safe - and feel safe - is to provide more infrastructure that separates people on bikes from vehicles.

“So it’s really important for our local councils to keep working on this – as they’ve been directed to by central government.”

The UK Government said it is investing billions to make cycling safer.

A spokesperson said: “We’re investing an unprecedented £2 billion to support cycling and walking over the next five years, including for safe, high-quality infrastructure, and proposing changes to The Highway Code to further protect cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders.”

Earlier this month, the county council announced it would be removing the controversial pop-up cycle lanes in Worthing and Shoreham – read more here.

Set up by West Sussex County Council, the lanes were funded entirely by the Government and aimed to relieve the pressures on public transport amid the pandemic.