Unsafe to cycle

Many Londoners believe the capital's roads are too dangerous for them to take up cycling, according to a survey. One in four adults questioned by market researchers Mintel said cycling was too risky, despite the number of deaths staying at about 20 a year since 2000. Sales of bikes have remained at about 2.4 million a year for the past five years and are not forecast to rise over the next five. At the same time, the proportion of all journeys in Britain made by bike has fallen by a tenth of one percentage point to 1.5 per cent since 2004. Mintel said the biggest barrier to cycling cited in the survey was "a strong public perception that, at least on the road, it is simply too dangerous."