A councillor is urging cyclists ‘Don’t Be Dim’ as he launches a campaign to get more of them to put lights on their bike.
Mark Le Sage, the founder of The Rightside Trust and Ella’s Project, has teamed up with Lincolnshire Police and Halford’s for the campaign which will run until February 21.
“It all started after I promised a local resident, Jackie Stanberry, that I would do something after her she and her vehicle were involved in an incident with a female cyclist wearing dark clothing as well as not having lights on her bike,” he said. “Last week in a two-hour period I counted 27 cyclists without any lights at all and only five of those were wearing hi-vis jackets.”
Don’t Be Dim – Be A Bright Cyclist is the campaign tag line which has the backing of Lincolnshire Police and Halfords which is offering 15 per cent off any lights purchased from its Spalding store.
“I’m very grateful for the support and encouragement I’ve had from the Deputy Chief Constable Chris Davison and local Inspector Matt Dickinson,” continued Mark, the district councillor for the St Mary’s ward in Spalding. “I must also say a big thank you to Spalding Halfords’ deputy manager Leanne Boswell who has worked tirelessly behind the scenes to get the special discount arranged and local cycling group PEDALS are also very pleased to hear we are doing our bit to help make South Holland’s roads that bit safer, and are fully supportive of the project.”
At the most recent Spalding Town Forum discussing the campaign, South Holland Neighbourhood Policing inspector Matt Dickinson outlined the laws available to officers, but given the lack of resources, (see below) urged councillors to request the ‘hot spot policing’ patrols funded up to now by the Spalding Town Board, to take on that power alongside the council’s community wardens.
“It’s not a new issue; It’s been around for years,” he said. “I got told off for having no lights on my bike when I was young.
“The boundaries have changed and we maybe struggle to enforce this as we’d like.
“All these offences, while they could have a significant impact in a collision, in the eyes of the law they’re minor in terms of if we prosecute what the outcome could be.”
In response to Coun Le Sage’s issue over the number of those riding bikes illegally in Spalding, Insp Dickinson said: “I regularly see what you see, but I haven’t got the capacity or resources to those times every day and I’d be lying to you if I say I could.
“I like to look a bit wider. We have the town centre hot spot patrols, but we’re looking to negotiate with them and continue funding and ask that to be part of the patrols.
“The whole point of that funding is that they concentrate on what the community want them to. We could task them that. It wouldn’t be too difficult to ask them to enforce it as the same time as they’re out and about.”
The issue of education was brought up with Coun Aaron Spencer saying the town forum itself should look to fund protective equipment to be handed out in local schools.
Coun Ingrid Sheard said: “It’s not just down to police. It’s also down to parents to ensure their kids have lights on their bikes and everybody to take responsibility.
“I’ve been in town and when a young person has cycled past me I’ve said ‘please get off your bike’.
“They biked away, came back and gave me a mouthful. I had a conversation with them. I asked them why they felt the need to ride through and they said ‘because everyone else does it’, so I said ‘why does that make it right?’
“I think that’s the opportunity I need to spin.
“Also, people need to take their own responsibility.”
