John North at the spot where he was hit by a cyclist

A Jesmond resident has called for awareness to be raised of cyclists mounting pavements in the area after he was knocked over by a bicycle travelling at speed.

John North was jogging to Boots the chemist on Acorn Road on August 18th when he turned off Newbrough Crescent onto Osborne Road.  A keep-fit fanatic, North regularly runs three-and-a-half miles around the Town Moor. On turning the corner on the pavement, he was hit by a cyclist who North believes to be in his mid-30s riding on the pavement.

“The bike hit me before I knew what it was,” said North. “I was sent flying; the guy came off his bike. He was going fast enough to knock me over, and I’m 14 stone.”

North, who lost his glasses in the collision and sustained bumps and bruises, remonstrated with the cyclist. “I wanted him to know he’d been stupid. Had I been a frail elderly person or child, it could’ve broken bones.”

After being shouted at by North and another jogger who stopped to help, the unknown cyclist got back on his bike and rode down the remainder of Osborne Road – this time avoiding pavements.

Government advice for cyclists, based on UK law, is clear on the matter. Citing Laws HA 1835 sect 72 & R(S)A 1984, sect 129, article 64 of the Highway Code advises cyclists that “You MUST NOT cycle on a pavement.”

Since 1999 breaching the law has been penalised with a fixed penalty of £50, though ministers have suggested clemency based on circumstances; for example, if it is too dangerous to ride on the road, cyclists can mount the pavement for a brief period of time. This can make others feel unsafe, however. The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, a charity for the non- and partially-sighted, recently warned that some blind people feel unsafe due to a small number of cyclists illegally riding on pavements.

North is keen to stress he is pro-cyclist, and would like a better mix of cycles and vehicles on the road, but felt the issue of cyclists mounting pavements in Jesmond needed to be raised. North himself frequently sees cyclists on pedestrian pavements near the bus shelter on St. George’s Green, at the top of Osborne Road, despite a wide road and double yellow lines preventing cars from blocking the roadway.

Despite his active lifestyle, North admits that he shied away from cycling due to safety concerns. “One of the reasons we didn’t get bikes is that there isn’t a lot of room on the road for cyclists,” North said.

The resident raised concerns with the Jesmond Residents Association, Cllr Peter Breakey, and the local police community support officer.

JesmondLocal asked the Newcastle Cycling Campaign for comment on the ease of cycling in Jesmond, and whether the cyclist should have been on the pavement when he collided with North.

In a statement, they said: “In Jesmond, Osborne Road is a big problem for cyclists, and acts as a barrier to cycling. The motor traffic often exceeds the 30mph speed limit and at the north end there are a number of blind corners. It is scary to cycle along and scary to cycle across at junctions. It is also not pleasant to walk along, and it can be rather frightening experience to cross on foot, especially if you have mobility issues or are with young children.“

Sally Watson, Jesmond branch chair of the Newcastle Cycling Campaign, attested to this: “If you are cycling with children, there is very little choice but to cycle on the pavement. Side streets, like the location where Newbrough Crescent and Osborne Road meet, become a real difficulty then.”

The cyclist who collided with John North was travelling alone. “I guess people cycle on pavements because people feel safer and it’s easier,” says North. “But this guy was cycling on the pavement for no reason.”

Watson continued: “Dedicated, protected cycleways on both sides of Osborne Road, along with decent junctions design with cyclists in mind, would go a very long way to solving the problem of pavement cycling in Jesmond.

“If people are cycling on the pavement that is a pretty good indication that they don’t feel safe on that particular road. It shows there are wider problems with the infrastructure.

“There are other streets which would also benefit from protected cycle routes and places where shutting down rat-runs would create a safer environment for both cyclists and pedestrians.”

In response to questions from JesmondLocal, the Newcastle Cycling Campaign has drafted a position statement on pavement cycling, on which views and comments are encouraged.

“We’d ask anyone concerned about pavement cycling to join our call for better walking and cycling infrastructure, protected cycleways, and clear delineation of space, to reduce or even eliminate people’s need for cycling on the pavement in the first instance,” the campaign said.