United Kingdom a little short sighted on drivers eyesight !

How many times have you heard the refrain "sorry mate, I didn't see you" (See Stop SMIDSY) from a driver who has just performed a manouvre which has caused inconvenience, concern or white-knuckle braking and avoidance tactics when you have been out cycling.

Oftentimes we think it is down  to lack of awareness of how much space to give to people who are cycling,  poor concentration or sometimes irresponsible or aggressive drivers.

However, it may literally be that UK drivers' eyesight is so poor that they are a hazard to any other road users. A 2011 report on Driver Vision Screening in Europe highlights how the eyesight testing regime for drivers in the United Kingdom is substandard when compared to most of the other EU and non-EU countries in Europe.

Whilst, some people will argue that an association of optometrists, opticians, contact lenses and glasses manufacturers (*) has a vested interest in promoting eye tests, the report highlights how poor the United Kingdom is in terms of testing eyesight both before and after a driving license is issued when compared to most other European countries.  In some cases, it would appear that the UK is not meeting the requirements cntained in the EC directives.

The EC Directives on Driving Licences should be implemented in all the EU Member States. The goal is to harmonise the underlying standards and systems of driver licensing across the EU. The 2006 Directive set a deadline of January 2011 for Member States to report their plan for implementation to the European Commission. The 2009 Directive updated the minimum visual requirements that drivers should meet in order to drive safely, and set a deadline of August 2010 for implementation.  The test categories highlighted in the report included:

Initial Eyesight Assessment

Directive 2009/113/EC specifies that Group 1 applicants for a first driving licence should have an ‘appropriate investigation of vision to ensure they have adequate visual acuity for driving’ and ‘where there is reason to doubt an applicant’s vision is adequate, he or she will be examined by a competent medical authority’.

 

Initial Eyesight Assessment for Group 1

Five European countries rely on the Licence Plate Test as their sole  assessment of vision. ECOO,EUROM and EUROMCONTACT believe this practice is unacceptable as the Licence Plate Test is not performed under  controlled conditions, and the results are not directly comparable with the underlying European standards which  specify an assessment of visual acuity.

Who Performs the Initial Eyesight Assessment?

The EC Directive states that the assessment of visual acuity (Group 1)should be performed by a competent authority.

Who Performs the Initial Eyesight Assessment (Group 1)

Five countries reported that the assessment of vision is performed by a driving test centre employee, who performs the Licence Plate Test.

Reassessment of Drivers’ Vision

Vision regularly changes with age. Many drivers do not notice a gradual change in their visual status and can therefore be unaware that they fall below the required standard. The erport highlights concerns that there is no requirement in the EC Directives for ongoing assessment of Group 1 drivers' vision on renewal. This is in contrast with Group 2 licence holders who require an assessment to be performed every five years when renewing their licence.  

But the distinction between Group 1 and Group 2 drivers has blurred in the modern economy. Couriers, taxi drivers, and many sales people all effectively drive for a living, and  there has been a significant rise in long-distance commuting.  These are all classified as Group 1 drivers, yet many spend at least as much time driving as those classified as Group 2 (or traditionally vocational drivers), and should therefore be subject to similar assessments of vision.   A majority of Member States already require a further assessment of vision by a competent  professional.

Reassessments of Vision Later in Driving Career

(Group 1)

However, there is no requirement for a further assessment of vision for Group 1in Austria, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden and the UK. In the UK drivers are expected to self-assess that their vision meets the standards, and to state that they meet the standards at three-year intervals from the age of 70.

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It is not very encouraging that the United Kingdom is in the bottom league in each of the eyesight test tables. 

Perhaps it is time that the Department for Transport had their eyes tested so that they can read the small print of the EC Directives and introduce policies to make sure British drivers can actually see where they are going!

 

(*) The European Council of Optometry and Optics (ECOO) represents the 75,000 optometrists, opticians and optical retail outlets.
 

EUROM I represents the national associations of manufacturers of corrective lenses, frames, and instruments for opticians (700 companies).

EUROMCONTACT represents the national associations and the international manufacturers

of contact lenses and contact lens care products.

The Ticket to Kyoto Annual Conference - Mobilising to reduce CO2 emissions in public transport

The Ticket to Kyoto project is working towards its paramount destination: reducing CO2 emissions in European public transport.

On behalf of all T2K partners, TfGM will be hosting the 2013 Annual Conference in Manchester which will include a speech by Professor Colin Hughes, Associate Vice President for Sustainability at the University of Manchester. There will also be presentations from partners, interactive workshops, and group discussions. 

The Conference will highlight  where we're up to and you can help shape sustainable transport in the future.

	Programme
	09.30 - 10.00 Welcome and introductions 10.00 - 10.45 Professor Colin Hughes, Associate Vice President for Sustainability 10.45 - 11.00 Coffee & tea break 11.00 - 13.00 Ticket to Kyoto project, on the path to develop and deliver a Carbon Strategy 13.00 - 14.00 Lunch and Networking 14.00 - 17.00 Workshops. Discover the workshops 17.00 - 18.00 Networking

Register here.


When: Thursday June 20th from 9am till 5pm
Where: Manchester Conference Centre, Weston Building, Sackville St, Manchester M1 3BB

Workshop 1 | Energy Production and Energy Efficiency
How should the transport sector manage energy? What opportunities are there for energy production and energy efficiency? Join the discussion on this topic. We’ll talk about the most effective measures for energy production and energy efficiency, but also about funding opportunities, maximizing the return on investment and obtaining institutional support.
Facilitator: Kevin Leather, Regional Manager - North of England, Mott MacDonald

Workshop 2 | Collaborating to Achieve Carbon Reduction
How can transport organisations work together across different geographical areas and themes to reduce carbon? How can we develop delivery models that include multiple organisations and stakeholders? We will use the Greater Manchester Low Carbon Hub as an example. Come and learn how to deliver carbon reductions across different geographical areas and environmental themes, and how we have developed links with government departments.
Facilitator: Mark Atherton, Director General, Environment, Greater Manchester Low Carbon Hub

Workshop 3 | Reducing Carbon by Encouraging More Sustainable Transport Choices
Learn how to encourage populations to switch to walking, cycling and public transport to reduce carbon footprint and improve health. This discussion will tackle several related topics such as increasing the appeal of public transport and how to translate environmental awareness into behaviour change.
Facilitator: Lee Parker, Director, Parose Projects, London

Workshop 4 | Achieving Economic Benefits through more Sustainable Public Transport
How can we identify the overall economic benefits of a better and more sustainable transport system? We’ll discuss job creation and training, housing accessibility and proximity to employment and how we can engage the private sector and stimulate inward investment.
Facilitator: Simon Warburton, Head of Policy and Research, TfGM

Public service announcement #6: Carlton Reid calling all bicycle shops

An interesting blog from Carlton Reid in BikeBiz is asking bike shops their on store car parking. "A necessary evil? A vital business tool? Or surplus to requirements?"

The blog recounts his experience at a recent roundtable discussion in Birmingham, organised by the Surveyor magazine, with a of integrated transport experts.

Carlton Reid comments that "reducing road space for cars, and increasing it for pedestrians and cyclists, could create more cyclists (and more pedestrians) yet bike shops are not shouting for this from the rooftops. And I don't tend to hear about bike shops calling for a reduction in car parking spaces. I can imagine Rutland Cycling would not be in favour of reduced car parking but city centre bike shops don't seem to be in favour of it either. Most (correct me if I'm wrong) want to have ample parking outside their shops because it's believed customers, in the main, arrive by car."

He asks the question:  "But how many bike shops have conducted travel surveys to find out how customers actually get to their stores? Customers who arrive by car are noticeable, cars are big. Customers who arrive on foot or by bike are less visually arresting. I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on store car parking and how vital it is to your business. I'd also like to hear from you if you've, say, partnered with your local authority to get rid of a parking space and replaced it with a bike parking stand."

Will be fascinating to hear from Greater Manchester bike stores. You can leave your comments on the BikeBiz article or @ me on Twitter and add @bikebizonline to the conversation.

And the winners are..... Top 20 Most Bicycle-Friendly Cities (Copenhagenize Index 2013)

The Copenhagenize Design Co (*) has released the 2013 Copenhagenize Index - the Top 20 most bicycle-friendly cities.

The Index has been compiled by researching 150 cities around the world and awarding 0 to 4 points across 13 categories, including facilities (e.g. bike racks), infrastructure, sharing schemes, the balance of male to female cyclists, and increase in "modal share" since 2006. It then gives bonus points for "particularly impressive efforts or results," and converts the results to give a score out of 100. 


The Top 20 Most Bicycle-Friendly Cities Index for 2013 (with their 2011 ranking in brackets) are listed below:

1. Amsterdam (1)
2. Copenhagen (2)
3. Utrecht (new)
4. Seville (new)
4. Bordeaux (new)
5. Nantes (new)
5. Antwerp (new)
6. Eindhoven (new)
7. Malmö (new)
8. Berlin (5)
9. Dublin (9)
10. Tokyo (4)
11. Munich (6)
11. Montreal (8)
11. Nagoya (new)
12. Rio de Janeiro
13. Barcelona (3)
13. Budapest (10)
13. Paris (7)
14. Hamburg (13)

Not a single British city is placed in the Top 20.  I wonder what ranking Manchester would have. 

Using the point system below, what score would you give Manchester?  Answers on a postcard or comment on this blog.... 

Cities were given between 0 and 4 points in 13 different index categories, with a potential for 12 bonus points awarded for particularly impressive efforts or results. In short, a maximum of 64 points could be awarded. The final score is then altered to be out of 100.   The 13 Parameters that each city is ranked by are:

Advocacy: How is the city’s (or region/country) advocacy NGO regarded and what level of
influence does it have?

Bicycle Culture: Has the bicycle reestablished itself as transport among regular citizens or only sub-cultures?
Bicycle Facilities: Are there readily accessible bike racks, ramps on stairs, space allocated on trains and buses and well-designed wayfinding, etc?
Bicycle Infrastructure: How does the city’s bicycle infrastructure rate?
Bike Share Programme: Does the city have a comprehensive and well-used bike-sharing programme?
 
Gender Split: What percentage of the city’s cyclists are male and female?
 
Modal Share For Bicycles: What percentage of modal share is made up by cyclists?
Modal Share Increase Since 2006: What has the increase in modal share been since 2006 - the year that urban cycling started to kick off?
 
Perception of Safety: Is the perception of safety of the cyclists in the city, reflected in helmet-wearing rates, positive or are cyclists riding scared due to helmet promotion and scare campaigns?
Politics: What is the political climate regarding urban cycling?
 
Social Acceptance: How do drivers and the community at large regard urban cyclists?
 
Urban Planning: How much emphasis do the city’s planners place on bicycle infrastructure - and are they well-informed about international best practice?
 
Traffic Calming: What efforts have been made to lower speed limits in and generally calm traffic in order to provide greater safety to pedestrians and cyclists?


* Copenhagenize Design Co. is an urban planning consultancy specialising in bicycle planning, infrastructure and communications. We consider the bicycle to be the most effective tool in our urban toolbox for rebuilding our liveable cities for the new century.

Competition time.... what is the best noun for a multiplicity of potholes?

Oxford Place, Rusholme. Street art or obstacle course?

It has long been claimed that some of the UK's roads are a series of holes held together by strips of tarmac!

Whilst cycling over or, more accurately, around this stretch of holes on Oxford Place in Rusholme it struck me that the singular term 'pothole' doesn't really do justice to so many holes.

So, here's the challenge..... what is the best noun for a series, collection, multiplicity of potholes?  and no prizes for saying 'roads' !

Any prizes will depend on the creativity of responses.

Remember... you can report all potholes, caves etc on roads in the Manchester City Council area to "Environment on Call".  Email: contact@manchester.gov.uk

Include your name and address in the email (they will only email asking you for this before logging the pothole).  A photo always helps as well. See previous blog "When is a pothole actionable" for details of how big the pothole has to be before your Council will class it as a pothole requiring action.

Contacts for other GM councils are in the list of 'useful contacts' on this blog site or you can use the CTC's Fill that Hole website.

Good luck and may your wheels never wobble :)


Competition entries:

@ChorltonVelo   A mob [of potholes]
 

Imagine Cycling (in Greater Manchester)

Just imagine! It's 2020 and many more people are cycling, safely, and cycling more often. But how did we manage to achieve that? Greater Manchester Cycling Campaign is 22 years old. 

We've decided to stop for some refreshment, by holding an Appreciative Inquiry* in May. Assisted by two experienced AI practitioners, we will use the power of our imaginations to map our route to 2020 (and cycling heaven).

If you are positive about trying to turn your cycling dreams into reality, please join in.

The session on the 13th May will begin by looking at our strengths and what we can  achieve  when we get it right. We will then look ahead at what we want to achieve by 2014 and then move into planning what needs to happen, who can make it happen and by when. The session will be structured to maximise everyone's involvement and opportunity to have a real say and commit to actions to create a better cycling future in Greater Manchester. 

RSVP to the Campaign's Secretary on richard@gmcc.org.uk   07913 420 943, or call 07973 538 556 to discuss

When:  Monday 13th May. Refreshments & buffet supper from 6pm. Start 6:30pm.  Finish 9pm.

Where: Friends Meeting House, Mount Street, Manchester (behind Central Reference Library).

* Appreciative Inquiry: for more detail on this organisational development technique see Wikipedia page.

Take the 'Chair you left behind' challenge and Walk to Work Week: 13-17 May 2013

Get your workplace walking this May and get closer to more than just a destination

• Team spirit - compete with your colleagues and walk together
• Better shape - burn calories and get fitter
• Clearer head - blow away the cobwebs and relieve stress
• Fatter wallet - save your bus fare and walk instead
• Hidden treasures - make new discoveries in your area

How it works

During Walk to Work Week, you and your colleagues can:

• see how many miles you walk, calories you burn and carbon you save with our online walking calculator
• count all walking, whether it’s to work, at lunch or for a meeting
• set up teams to compete with colleagues
• achieve a walking feat - either simple individual feats or more extravagant team-feats
• raise money for your favourite charity – perhaps your charity of the year or a local community charity project. 

 Walk to Work week webpage.

The chair you left behind

Walk yourself into better shape this May.

There are lots of daily activities we do sitting down – listening to music, eating lunch at our desks

To take our Better shape feat choose one you can do while you walk - and send us a photograph of the chair you left behind

Simply get up, stand up and do it on the move. Go for a walk during your lunch break. Hold a walking book group. Go for a walk in the park with friends (and take a flask of coffee!).

And from 1 May, you will be able to share your success by uploading a picture of your empty chair (or car seat, or bike saddle, or favourite stool at your local cafe...). Or by simply telling us about it.

Sign up to take the Chair you left behind challenge.

Slower Speeds for Safer Streets (UN Global Road Safety week: 6th - 12th May)

The World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Road Safety Week runs from 6th to 12th May 2013 and is dedicated to pedestrian safety around the world.  One of the key recommendations in UN report on pedestrian safety is for 20mph (30kmh) speed limits in residential areas and those areas with large numbers of vulnerable road users.

The 20's Plenty for Us campaign is urging people across Europe to call on Europe's leading politicians to make 20mph the normal residential speed. 

Please sign the petition and ask your friends, family and neighbours to sign up too.

Let's build a 20,000 strong voice to EU leaders now.

Why this is important.

Thousands of people have died or been injured in avoidable collisions on residential streets. Road crash is the top cause of avoidable death for our 5-30 year olds.  We say “20’s Plenty where people live”.  The European Union could make lower residential speed limits normal and protect us from avoidable danger and suffering.  Road Safety Week spotlights this crisis, making it crucial to sign up now.

Everyone, whatever age or level of health, should be able to walk along their home street without fear.  Up to third of United Kingdom local councils are implementing 20mph limits, or seriously considering it.  

But it’s a postcode lottery. April saw a cross party committee of MPs insist that 20mph limits for residential roads is essential to Get Britain Cycling.  Experts and European politicians are calling for immediate action. Speed is greed when it prevents the vulnerable from getting around. If we build a huge petition now, we can push the European Commission to put our health and environment first before the selfish drivers and road lobby and prevent rat running.

We know our voices count!  Over 11million people in the UK already live in places committed to 20mph limits without humps. We need 20,000 signatures in a week to persuade the EU to help us defend our rights to slower speeds where people live.

Now the issue is coming to a boil. EU politicians are stepping up pressure on the European Commission to push new laws on slower speeds. We can offer them the public support they need against the powerful roads lobby. Sign this urgent petition to Europe’s leaders, then ask your friends, family and neighbours to support this call.
 

PS. Here is a short (68 second) video on the European Citizens Initiative for 20mph urban limits and how you can sign the petition .