Sister of killed cyclist Eilidh Cairns lobbying Prime Minister

Oct 10 2009 by Brian Daniel, The Journal

THE sister of a woman killed after being knocked off her bike by a lorry is lobbying the Prime Minister to prevent further loss of life.

Eilidh Cairns, 30, who was born in Alnwick and brought up at nearby Ellingham, died after the February collision in London, where she was living while working in film production.

Her sister Kate, 37, who lives at Newton by the Sea, near Alnwick, has since been campaigning to reduce the risk of cyclists being hit by large goods vehicles.

She has met mayor of London Boris Johnson and other politicians, attended conferences and has recently formed an action group which has around 70 members.

Kate and a friend of Eilidh, keen cyclist Joanne Clegg, have now created a petition on the Prime Minister’s website, calling for the introduction of new measures to reduce to zero the number of cyclist fatalities caused by large goods vehicles. It is seeking driver training and vehicle improvements and a permit system to prevent vulnerable cyclists having to share city roads with large goods vehicles with limited visibility in rush hour.