http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/new...-most-dangerous-region-in-the-uk-for-cyclists
I am not at all surprised at this, living as I do in Littleborough which is on the outer semi rural fringe of Greater Manchester. I was fortunate to be able to retire from work a few years early in March 2017. We decided to not replace our car in January 2017 after it was 'written off' by an incompetent motorist whilst parked outside our house. Since then, we travel everywhere either by bike, train or walk. This has proven to be an overall good decision and largely enjoyable. But only because we can ride our bikes outside of busy commute times and have the available free time to plan and do rides via quieter routes and towpaths.
Prior to this, I commuted to work for 10 years to Bury and back by bike - a round trip of 22 miles. There was no viable alternative to riding on very busy congested roads for most of that commute and it was often like a 'survival test'. There were far too many dangerous 'close passes' by motorists, next to no police enforcement, huge volumes of dangerous unrepaired potholes (due to severe ongoing austerity cuts!) etc. A situation that has not improved one iota! Nearby West Yorkshire is little better! In the last 12 months I have been knocked off my bike twice by inattentive taxi drivers (fortunately, at very low speed).
As a start to improve things, an ongoing 'zero tolerance' campaign by the Police against close passes such as the initiative in the West Midlands might help.
I am not at all surprised at this, living as I do in Littleborough which is on the outer semi rural fringe of Greater Manchester. I was fortunate to be able to retire from work a few years early in March 2017. We decided to not replace our car in January 2017 after it was 'written off' by an incompetent motorist whilst parked outside our house. Since then, we travel everywhere either by bike, train or walk. This has proven to be an overall good decision and largely enjoyable. But only because we can ride our bikes outside of busy commute times and have the available free time to plan and do rides via quieter routes and towpaths.
Prior to this, I commuted to work for 10 years to Bury and back by bike - a round trip of 22 miles. There was no viable alternative to riding on very busy congested roads for most of that commute and it was often like a 'survival test'. There were far too many dangerous 'close passes' by motorists, next to no police enforcement, huge volumes of dangerous unrepaired potholes (due to severe ongoing austerity cuts!) etc. A situation that has not improved one iota! Nearby West Yorkshire is little better! In the last 12 months I have been knocked off my bike twice by inattentive taxi drivers (fortunately, at very low speed).
As a start to improve things, an ongoing 'zero tolerance' campaign by the Police against close passes such as the initiative in the West Midlands might help.
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