8:00am Monday 30th April 2007
By Chris Kearney
Concern has been raised over the number of cyclists ignoring red traffic lights at the busy city centre junction where a student died 12 days ago.
The Oxford Mail counted 23 cyclists pedalling through red lights in just 20 minutes on Saturday at the crossroads where Parks Road, Broad Street, Holywell Street and Catte Street meet.
Worcester College student Tsz Fok died after he was involved in a collision with a recycling lorry at the junction on Wednesday, April 18. There is no suggestion the 22-year-old had jumped a red light himself.
But Neil Sumner, 53, a gardener at Rhodes House in nearby South Parks Road, says cyclists are still ignoring red lights at the junction despite Mr Fok's death.
Mr Sumner said: "It's got to be stopped - it's just so irresponsible. There are still flowers lying on the side of the road in tribute to that poor lad and people keep on whizzing through the red lights. They just need to take more care.
"I've worked at Rhodes House for nearly six years and I keep seeing cyclist after cyclist going through the red lights.
"After that young lad died the other week, I decided that something needed to be done. Most of them look as though they are students. They're supposed to be the brains of Britain, but they don't even have the sense to stop at a red light."
Oxfordshire County Council plans to review all aspects of control, signs and road markings at the junction following Mr Fok's death, as standard procedure following any fatal accident.
However, it said that cracking down on cyclists ignoring red lights was the responsibility of Thames Valley Police.
Simon Banks, of city cycling group Cyclox, has also urged cyclists to make sure they stop at junctions where drivers can see them.
The Highway Code stresses cyclists must not cross the stop line when traffic lights on roads they are using are on red.
It warns cyclists can face fines of up to £2,500 for dangerous cycling, £1,000 for careless cycling and £500 for riding on the pavement, if they are convicted of an offence Mr Sumner said: "I went to the police and told them about what I had seen.
"I just want something done about this before anyone gets killed."
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