Cycling petition now tops 10,000
Message...Mike Higgins with the road safety petition. (Mail Picture: Andrew Carpenter/MHMP 001605-25)
A PETITION to improve cycle safety has received further support this week.
Mike Higgins, from Kibworth, set up the petition because he believes knowledge on how to deal with cyclists on the roads is poor and needs to start at the beginning of a driver’s training.
The petition aims to get cycle awareness included as part of the driving test written exam and since it was set up less than two weeks ago it has already gained 10,000 signatures.
Last week the petition received backing from cycling legend Chris Boardman and Lutterworth Olympic triathlete Lucy Hall. They both posted links to the petition on their websites.
This week it received backing from Dame Sarah Storey, who publicised the link to the petition on social media website Twitter.
Dame Sarah won Britain’s first Paralympic gold medal at London 2012 with victory in the C5 Individual Pursuit, after setting the 72nd world record of her career in qualifying.
The petition was partly prompted by the death of Kibworth man Adam Bennett, who died in November after a collision near the Shearsby Bath in Bruntingthorpe Road.
Mr Higgins said that since the article in last week’s Mail, Mr Bennett’s wife has been in touch to say how positive she thought the petition was and thanking him.
Mr Higgins said: “To be honest, getting from 9,000 to 10,000 has been slow and I was beginning to wonder if I would get there, but now with 10,000 and an email of support from Becky Bennett, I’m reinvigorated.”
Mr Higgins is hoping to prompt a debate in Parliament by getting the required 100,000 signatures on his petition.
Backing him is Kibworth district councillor Phil King, who asked Harborough MP Edward Garnier on Tuesday if he will make representations to ministers to seek improvements to driving training in respect of cyclists safety.
Cllr King, who is a cyclist, said: “In a short space of time local residents have shown their strong support for such a measure, which in my mind is long overdue.
“I hope that Edward Garnier can persuade his Government colleagues that these improvements are required, so hopefully dreadful tragedies like the one in Shearsby last year can be prevented.”
British Cycling has also got behind the petition by posting links on its website and re-tweeting the petition link.
To sign the petition, visit the website http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/44059.
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Saturday 18 May 2013
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