Two in three commuters believe most roads are unfit for travelling to work by bike according to survey released by charity Brake following today's announcement that council road safety spending fell 15 per cent on average last year.

The survey of 1,550 commuters, conducted with solicitors Bolt Burdon Kemp, revealed nearly half would be persuaded to cycle if roads were safer with three-quarters backing the wider implementation of 20 mph speed limits and other safe cycling measures.

Brake deputy chief executive Julie Townsend said: "This survey shows the huge amount of public support for safe cycling and we're calling on the authorities, employers, and the driving public to act upon this.

"Widespread 20mph limits and cycle paths where people live and work would encourage more people to cycle, without their lives being threatened by fast traffic."

However, implementing these reforms could prove difficult for many local councils after statistics from the Institute of Advanced Motorists showed more than 30 councils saw their budgets for road safety slashed by more than 10 per cent in the past year including Cmaden Council which had a 70 per cent reduction.

IAM chief executive Simon Best said: "Austerity is forcing councils to make difficult choices but the fact that these are just the first year of savings under the Coalition is deeply worrying.

"Cutting road safety so hard makes no sense."

The cost of each road fatality is £1.6m according to IAM while Brake statistics show the number of cyclists who died in road accidents rose 7 per cent last year.

Following the survey results, Brake and Bolt Burdon Kemp are launching a Cycle for life campaign calling for:
•Local authorities to implement widespread 20mph limits in communities to protect cyclists and pedestrians
•Government to encourage and fund more local authorities to take these steps;
•Drivers to slow down to 20mph in communities
•Employers to play their part in promoting safe cycling

For more information visit www.brake.org.uk

Posted 02/05/2012 by richard.hook@pavpub.com