Richmond Park London Duathlon cancelled amid safety fears over speeding cyclists
The Royal Parks charity has grown increasingly concerned about cyclists’ behaviour after an inquest in May into the death of Hilda Griffiths, 81, a retired teacher who was killed in Regent’s Park, north London, after being struck by a cyclist doing timed laps of the park in 2022.The “full duathlon” course consisted of a 20km run, 77km bike ride then another 10km run. But organisers have been told by park officials that the event cannot go ahead as planned on September 8.Announcing the cancellation, the organisers said: “There have been a number of unforeseen factors this year that have led to this difficult decision, particularly in relation to the operational complexity of producing a multi-sport event.“This includes an increased focus on the security and logistics of cycling events in public spaces which creates significant operational challenges. Our team has been working hard to explore all available options in recent weeks, but we have concluded that we can’t make the event work this year.”In a statement concerning the duathlon, the charity said: “A range of factors, including significant operational challenges, have meant that the London Duathlon will not be going ahead in Richmond Park this year. We will work closely with potential event organisers to determine the future of the event.”In June, two smaller club-organised time-trial events were cancelled over fears riders would break the park’s 20mph speed limit. At the time, the charity said it was “pausing” such events while it reviewed its position on such events.The Richmond Park Time Trials, organised by the London Dynamo cycling club and first held in 2009, provided the only opportunity for cyclists to race against the clock in one of the capital’s royal parks, according to road.cc, a bike news website.The organisers argued that the time trials “pose no harm to anyone” given their 6am start time, when there are few pedestrians and the park is closed to motor vehicles. They added that any alternative routes comprise “mostly busy roads and fast-moving cars”.Organisers of the duathlon said they do not know if the event will be able to go ahead next year.The inquest into Griffiths’s death heard that vehicular speed limits did not apply to bicycles and a police review found that “there were no criminal acts which would allow prosecution” for cyclists who exceed speed limits. Griffiths was killed by Brian Fitzgerald, a director at Credit Suisse, who was cycling at 29mph in the park at the time of the accident.The incident happened six years after the death of Kim Briggs, a 44-year-old mother of two who died a week after suffering “catastrophic” head injuries from being hit by a cyclist in east London in 2016. Charlie Alliston, 20, who was cycling at 18mph on a bike with no front brakes, was cleared by a jury of manslaughter, which would have carried a life sentence.He was found guilty of causing bodily harm by wanton and furious driving, a crime under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861. Had Alliston been driving a car at the time of the collision, he could have been prosecuted for causing death by dangerous driving and given a sentence of up to 14 years in prison.Griffiths’s inquest reignited calls to change the law so that causing death or serious injury by “dangerous, careless or inconsiderate cycling” is punishable at the same level as when the offences are committed by motorists.https://www.thetimes.com/uk/transport/article/london-duathlon-cancelled-after-series-of-fatal-bike-collisions-f9rqvhn2z
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