This bike was seen chained at the corner of Pentonville Road / Pentonville Rise to remember the spot where Madeleine Wright
lost her life at the age of 26 riding her bicycle and being crushed to death by a lorry. The junction has been ear marked as severely dangerous by locals and those caught up in accidents.
Peter Wright, the father of Madeleine, has made serious allegations against Transport for London earlier this year, because the junction remains unsecured and without improvement. In the three years before Madeleine died there, the spot saw 22 collisions and previous deaths.
This also is important in terms of the walkability audit, which by the way does not include this corner. Pedestrians crossing the spot have a very small island in the middle of the street, which lacks the push buttons that are on the end of the road. The crossing is used by many young children attending the EGA girls school and students from a variety of universities.
The cycling path is highly unlogical. Cyclists are expected to move from the left of the street to the right and then cross in a straight line onto the bus lane that continues Pentonville Road whilst all other motorized traffic makes a left turn.
The same spot has also been in the news (Which Magazine) because of bad sign posting to motorists, who often get trapped onto the bus lane, failing to realise they must turn left… and being penalized with a fine for doing so.
In spite of all of this the left turning detour of the A501 into residential streets of Kings Cross (Kings Cross Rd, Swinton St, Grays Inn Rd), introduced a few decades ago, remains unchanged.
In my personal opinion the A501 ought to be brought back into a straight line feeding Euston Rd, and the current arrangement turned upside down, namely with cyclists and buses able to use a specially reserved bus line on Pentonville Rise and Swinton Street and private motorists to continue straight down Pentonville Road.
Read more about Peter Wrights campaign in the Evening Standard
Report in Islington Tribune
Report in Moving Target
See also http://islington-libdems.org.uk/news/001335/why_do_people_have_to_die_before_tfl_takes_action_at_accident_blackspots.html and http://georgeallan.mycouncillor.org.uk/2008/09/01/taming-the-traffic-in-kings-cross/
Do you know if Peter Wright is in contact with the national deaf/blind organisation Sense over this? Their new office is at 101 Pentonville Road and they have raised major concerns about the crossing at Penton Rise as well. Seems to me linking up with them would be a very good thing to do to strengthen this campaign over an insanely and fatally dangerous junction…. http://www.sense.org.uk