Mass cycle ride in Derby calls for safer streets
The International Kidical Mass Action Weekend takes place in the city today
Derby families and residents will be taking part in the International Kidical Mass Action Weekend today.
They will join tens of thousands across the UK and world in a call for streets to be made safer for everyone.
The ride will start at Corporation Street at 11.00am and take a gentle route through the city.
Kidical Mass is a global movement with rides planned involving children and parents from towns and cities across the world. The most recent events in May 2023 saw over 100,000 participants worldwide at 500 demonstrations for child-friendly streets.
This year’s events will take place across the world from Albuquerque in USA to Adelaide in Australia. There will be more than 25 events in towns and cities across England, Scotland and Wales, stretching from Inverness to Southampton.
According to the World Health Organisation, road traffic accidents are the leading cause of death among children and young people aged 5-29 years across the world. Road traffic injuries are a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, with around 1.3 million people killed and as many as 50 million people injured each year. Globally, 1 of every 4 deaths occur among pedestrians and cyclists.
While the number of accidents in the UK has been falling, there are very serious inequalities across the country. Children walking who are aged five to nine years old are six times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in the least well off parts of England than in the wealthiest areas.
Oliver Lord, the UK Head of the Clean Cities Campaign, which supports the Kidical Mass movement across Europe, said: “Children are seriously injured and killed every year whilst cycling and walking, this must be a wake up call to politicians. These can be life changing injuries and yet they are preventable. I hope this will result in politicians in every town and city committing to safer streets for kids to reduce road deaths and give us all cleaner air.”