George Abaronye calls for new cycle routes to be built


Mum Peri Abaraonye, son George Abaraonye, and dad Casey. Picture: Owen Sheppard.

A young man who was “almost killed” after being knocked off his bike on Putney Hill has called for new cycle routes to be built.

Hammersmith and Fulham Council recently approved another stage of planning towards two cycling infrastructure projects that will total £20 million, but which some residents are against.

Detailed plans have yet to be published. But the projects were discussed on December 2 at a council cabinet meeting, where 14-year-old George Abaronye told councillors of the incident that “almost killed” him.

“Do you accept that I have the right to travel freely on a public road and that you have a duty of care to protect me and other young people?” George asked.

“And do you accept that I will be safer cycling in a segregated cycle lane?”

He later spoke to the Local Democracy Reporting Service about what happened in the collision he was involved in on 1 June.

“I was cycling home down Putney Hill at about 6.30pm.” said George, who lives in King’s Street.

“I was in a bus lane, and there was a car, I think a Toyota, in my blind side. There was a little side street on my left that the car wanted to turn into. It hit me and knocked me off my bike.

“I don’t really know what happened. The next thing I was in an ambulance being taken to hospital.”

George, whose father Casey is a coordinator of Hammersmith Cyclists, added: “It’s my opinion that segregated cycle lanes will mean I won’t have to always look over my shoulder and worry about whether a driver has lost concentration.”

The driver stopped at the scene of the collision. But George was left with stitches above his eye and a mark on his shoulder.

Sam Monck, TfL’s Head of Healthy Streets Investment and Delivery, said: “Everybody deserves to cycle safely in London, which is why we’re working hard to expand our network of high-quality Cycleways across the capital. Putney Hill is controlled by Wandsworth Council and we continue to work with them to reduce danger on roads across the borough. We will raise these concerns with them and discuss any suggestions for making cycling safer on Putney Hill.”

Written with contributions from Owen Sheppard – Local Democracy Reporter

December 13, 2019