Sister of killed cyclist Eilidh Cairns lobbying Prime Minister

Oct 10 2009 by Brian Daniel, The Journal

To date, 1,600 people have signed up. But Kate said nothing has happened since her sister’s death to prevent more cyclists being killed by lorries.

“The solutions presented so far would not have helped Eilidh, she was in the right place, she could not have done anything else,” she said.

“That is the inescapable fact. I shared a flat with Eilidh, I used to cycle everywhere. I feel it very personally myself.

“I encouraged her to cycle in London because it is free.

“I just feel like I have to do something because if someone had done this two or three years ago Eilidh would still be here.

“We are going to try and get them to sit up and listen.”

A Ghost Bike was recently unveiled at the site where Eilidh was killed, at a ceremony attended by Kate and her mother Heather, who still lives at Ellingham and is a former leader of Alnwick District Council and an ex-teacher at that town’s Duchess’s High School. The white bike shapes are normally placed at places where cyclists have been killed on a temporary basis, to serve as memorials and safety reminders.

However, Mr Johnson is allowing Eilidh’s to remain permanently.