A 24 year old woman has died in Edinburgh City Centre after being hit by a minibus with reports that she fell off her bike after a wheel got stuck in the tram tracks on Princes Street.
The tragic incident happened at around 0830 on Wednesday 31st May on Princes Street at its junction with Lothian Road with Police appealing for witnesses to come forward. Local media reports state that the woman was cycling along the road when her bike’s tyres got stuck in the tram tracks which caused her to topple over into the path of the minibus. She was taken to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary but sadly died of her injuries.
The subject of cyclist safety in Edinburgh (and also on other tramways across the UK) has been a hot topic in recent times a local surgeon previously claiming that the number of injuries caused by the tracks in the city were placing a severe burden on the NHS. Lawyers in the city have also been getting ready for legal action over the injuries caused with warnings given to the Council that a multi million pound lawsuit would follow.
For their part the City of Edinburgh Council have urged cyclists to be safe around the tram tracks with a spokeswoman saying: “We have gone to every effort to raise awareness of the impact of the tram on all road users. Since before the launch over three years ago we have carried out extensive awareness-raising activity both online and on-street, in partnership with other organisations, much of which has focused specifically on cyclists. As part of this, markings were added to the road at Haymarket to direct cyclists along the safest possible routes. Like many other European cities Edinburgh now incorporates both cyclists and trams and, as in these cities, cyclists are advised to take care when travelling near the tram tracks.”
Although this tragic incident took place on a cycle route the official national cycle route in the city centre is along George Street and through Charlotte Street and not Princes Street.
Whether the Council have done everything they can is a debate which will continue for a while but this incident has resulted in a fatality and our thoughts are with the family of the woman who lost her life and anyone else affected by the tragedy.
No more can be done to make cyclists’ journeys safer; in line with motorist restrictions other than buses, trams, emergency vehicles and taxis, for their own safety, Edinburgh city council should consider prohibiting cyclists from Princes Street. As stated above, the official national city centre cycle route is along George Stret which runs parallel to Princes Street and would not significantly increase either journey distances or times to Princes Street
Am not honestly sure what can be done. Absolutely Tragic though thoughts are with those effected.