MORE than half of the cyclists riding along one of Oxford’s busiest commuter routes chose not to wear a helmet when the Oxford Mail took to the streets as part of our Be Bike Safe campaign.

At the start of Tuesday’s busy evening rush hour, 74 were spotted with no protective headgear in during a 20 minute period on Botley Road, with some cyclists admitting they opted to go without as it clashed with their hairstyle.

And during the height of Wednesday’s evening rush, another 40 cyclists out of 142 had no helmet.

It comes as we continue our campaign to offer a reduced priced helmet to any cyclist who wants one. 

20,000 cyclists use the city’s streets each day.

Oxford student Rachel Harmon, 23, said: “It’s just kind of inconvenient. I usually wear my hair down – it’s really hard to wear one with it down.

“I don’t even own one. Most of my friends don’t.”

And fellow student Jiaxen Lau, 23, said: “I was in a rush this morning. I normally do wear one.”

Two cyclists were killed and 319 injured on Oxfordshire’s roads in 2016, according to the figures from the Oxfordshire County Council.

Readers can claim a helmet made by Oxford Products at a discounted price of £5.00 by visiting the Oxford Mail offices in Osney Mead.

The Oxford Mail surveyed 50 people in Oxford city centre this week, with 11 out of 50 saying they do not, or would choose not to wear a helmet.

However, others, including travel agent Jayne Ellis, 39, said their mind was changed after being involved in a crash.

She said: “I had an accident last year. I ended up knocking myself unconscious. I smashed straight on the ground.”

When asked if she would ever go without a helmet, she added: “Not a chance. Not even round the corner to the shops.”

The Oxford Mail also spoke to drivers who share the city’s roads with those on two wheels.

Taxi driver Shakil Nasir, 54, from Cowley said: "There should be some kind of law to get cyclists to wear helmets.

"At the end of the day, we get blamed. We have number plates. They should have some kind of number plate so people can complain."

Wholesale delivery driver Antonio Rossini, 55, also branded cyclists without helmets as ‘irresponsible’.

However, cycle campaigners have stressed the need for radical changes to the road network in the city to accommodate cyclists. 

Currently there is no law in the UK for cyclists of any age to wear a helmet, though the Highway Code suggests they should be worn.

  • Pick up your discounted helmet - just fill out the form, available in today's Oxford Mail