As we’re all aware, cycling in general doesn’t get a great deal of column-space in the UK press, and when it does grace the pages, more often than not it involves some rant about dangerous cyclists or other negative slant. So it’s interesting to see a more supportive approach for cyclists using the roads in the BBC’s online news today with an article that tries to address what can be done about improving the safety of cycling on UK roads.

The premise of the article is that far fewer people cycle here than elsewhere in Europe (with the suggestion that cycling is actually a good idea – oh the novelty!) and that in London, the main reason that people are reluctant to get on their bikes is fear of accidents.

According to the piece, cyclists are 14 times more likely to meet with a serious or fatal accident than car drivers per kilometre travelled. A statistic that bike commuters won’t find surprising. Apart from over-optimism in labelling cycling lanes as “safe routes”, the article does well to point out how woefully poor provisions are to protect cyclists on our roads, and the potential hazard of ill-conceived traffic-calming measures. One aspect that is conspicuous in its absence from the article though, is the issue of penalties for drivers who injure cyclists through reckless driving.

There’s an opportunity to post your own opinion at the bottom of the article, so this could be a chance to give the BBC an idea of how many people feel strongly about this issue.

To end on a positive note, the article rightly points out that, all in all, your general health is more likely to benefit from cycling than not.