We have been told by an employee of Sheffield City Council that the reason no action has been taken about cyclist accidents on the tram tracks over the last 20 years is that people do not report their accidents, so the council is not aware that there is a problem.
We ask the people (306 so far) who have reported accidents to us whether they tried to report it to anyone else (Sheffield Council, Stagecoach Supertram, South Yorkshire Police, South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive). This is what they said:
“Contacted the city council but was met by a distinct lack of interest. Suggested I should use the road parallel to white lane but of course this would have meant that I would have to cross both sets of tracks twice to continue my journey which, with the amount of traffic would make it even more dangerous.”
“I was told there was nothing that could be done.”
“Reported it onto the city council’s report system online”
“reported on 20/08/15 on 101”
“I did not report it as I had a similar accident in 2012 and had negative response from supertram”
“I tried to report it to the police via 101 and they insisted that it was not reportable.”
“Supertram, they were not in the slightest interested and told me I should have gotten off my bike and walked across the junction.”
“Reported on 101 on 18/08/15.”
“Reported on 101 on 11/08/15”
“I phoned 101 and they did not want to know. Frankly they were a little patronising. They asked if by bike I meant motorbike, and if another vehicle was involved. They then informed me that because I just fell off my “pushbike” it’s not a police matter. We had a little discussion about this, and apparently their colleagues backed them up. The woman wasn’t going to budge and refused to file a report. I phoned 101 back again. Once again got absolute nowhere. The woman had never heard of a STATS19 form and informed me once again that it was not a police matter.”
“I’ve just reported the accident to the police for their records too (although the lady on the phone didn’t seem particularly interested).”
“The tram company but no response”
“Yes to the Council in 2014”
“Reported accident to Stagecoach on 26/07/2014”
“I did as you asked and basically got nowhere. The first question was on what date did the accident happen, I gave her the date and said I am only reporting it because I was asked to by yourselves. The person said as there was no damage and no 3rd party that I should not report it. ( I rather got the impression that she thought I was wasting her time ). She then began to tell me that if there were injuries or third party involvement I had to report in person and fill in some sort of form. I was not asked about the location of the accident .”
“Reported to Sheffield Council on 18/03/2015”
I called 101 to log my bike accident on the tracks. It was logged as a closed incident. They did not consider it an accident, such as vehicle crash and could not find a catergory to put it under, but the incident is logged.”
“I’ve just called 101 and they told me to go to a police station either Moss Way, Snig Hill or Ecclesfield and I need to write in a book at the main desk. She would not take any of my details.”
“I called 101 but they said as it wasn’t involving a licensed motor vehicle they would not normally issue an incident number.”
“Yes, tram official on site”
“I reported the incident to the council initially who then referred me to Amey who then referred me to Supertram. I was just given the run around. I did start to go through one of these no win no fee companies but wasn’t really in it for any money, I just wanted it making safer for other users.”
“reported via Sheffield Council survey”
“enquired via police, council and first bus nobody wanted to know.”
“Not officially reported to Police, however a passing patrol car stopped to assist/called ambulance. No incident number was given.”
“Not a reportable RTC according to 101.”
“Reported to Sheffield City Council in 1997”
“I have been in touch with the City Council, and after Harry Harpham MP contacted them for me, they have added a warning to their cycling webpage (I had asked them before to do this, with no result). I was in touch with David Blunkett MP (before the election) and he contacted South Yorkshire PTE, who replied to him. I have been in touch with Supertram by letter but no response.”
“Yes to 101 on 29 July 2013.”
“I tried to do this on 101. I explained that I wanted to do it as I want it to be recognised as a serious incident. The report was declined as no third party was involved. I also looked at ways of informing the council as I have met several other people who have had similar accidents. Again I got nowhere.”
“reported to council in 2005”
“No. Well I emailed Statecoach Customer Services but didn’t hear back. I contacted Sheffield City Council about mine at the time and received a letter from the legal dept saying that they were in no way liable and didn’t see it as a problem – end of.”
“I did report mine and was passed from pillar to post – from council to SYPTE to Amey and back to the council.”
“To Supertram in 1995”
Cycle incidents on tram tracks and elsewhere in Sheffield can be reported to Sheffield City Council using their web site:
https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/roads/travel/cycling/cycle-incident.html
For incidents on tram tracks, there is an opportunity to provide more information to help the Council identify the problem.
The council is well aware of the problem, it does not need ‘identifying’.
What we need is some action from the council.
Perhaps they could start by implementing the recommendations they made in their 1998 report “An Investigation Into Cyclist Safety on the Supertram Network In Sheffield, South Yorkshire”.
http://www.cyclesheffield.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Investigation-into-cyclist-safety-on-the-Supertram-network-in-Sheffield.pdf
I’ve contacted lots of different people. Have been told it’s the same all over the world with cyclists coming off on tram tracks try taking a different route.