On August 7th a woman did not make it home from work. She was hit by a driver of a car and later died. From the police statement we learn that at around 8:30pm there was a collision on the Western Way, Exeter involving a man driving a black BMW and a 53 year old Exeter resident. The man has been arrested on suspicion of drink/drug driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
This needless death has shaken many people in Exeter, particularly those that often cycle and
know first hand what it is like to be intimidated and to be put in danger by vehicles driven by
inattentive or careless drivers.
Exeter residents and supporters of the Exeter Cycling Campaign are marking this tragic event
with a vigil at 18:00hrs on Thursday 19th August. They meet in Southernhay, Exeter at
17:30hrs and will carry out a short ‘die in’ nearby to underline how vulnerable our roads can be
for people walking and cycling, followed by two brief speeches.
This will be a dignified event. The aim is to show our sadness at this unnecessary loss, to
challenge the normalisation of the death and injury we see on our roads and to repeat our
simple calls that driver lawlessness and inattention must stop, that all journeys for people
cycling should be safe and that active travel must be adequately funded.
The Exeter Cycling Campaign backs the aims of Vision Zero South West to rapidly cut road
deaths and serious injuries to zero. There are known ways of achieving this and the Campaign
has contributed to the Vision Zero team’s work on this.
“It’s important to challenge the sense of acceptance society seems to have about “just” another
casualty on Exeter’s roads. Death and injury on our roads is not inevitable and we need to work harder
to reduce it.” Lorna D, Exeter resident
“There have been some great improvements to walking and cycling in Exeter over the last year, but we
could and should be doing more to make it safe in our city. We should start with targeting careless and
reckless driving, which kills thousands of people every year in the UK. I want my family to be safe
walking and cycling in Exeter and Devon. At the moment five people are killed every day on our roads,
and it has to stop.” Will P – Exeter resident
“We need to challenge the normalisation of death and injury on our roads. Let’s build safety into the
streets for people to walk or cycle and redouble efforts to reduce road casualties to zero”
. Mike Walton, of the Exeter Cycling Campaign