YORK prides itself on being a cycling city - and it certainly wowed the world’s best cyclists during the Tour de France last month.

Despite York’s many cycle lanes and off-road cycle paths, however, anyone who rides regularly around the city knows it can be risky. Motorists who don’t notice two-wheeled road users, big buses and vans on narrow medieval streets, and the sheer volume of traffic, all create hazards. Sometimes the behaviour of cyclists themselves - jumping red lights or weaving through traffic - doesn’t help.

Whatever the cause, statistics reveal that serious incidents involving cyclists in York are on the rise.They have increased steadily over the past five years to the point where, last year, 148 cyclists were injured on our streets. This year, one cyclist has already died, and ten have been seriously injured, double the number seriously injured in the same period last year.

With more cyclists than ever before using York’s roads, what we don’t know is whether the figures represent a real rise in the proportion of cyclists being injured, or whether there are more accidents simply because there are more cyclists.

Nevertheless, the statistics are worrying.

Cycling is healthy, and it helps reduce pollution and congestion in York. The last thing we want is people being put off.

The council is taking steps to try to make York’s roads safer for cyclists. Measures include cycle training for children and adults, road safety campaigns and schemes aimed at raising awareness among younger drivers and bus drivers.

The council is also widening cycle lanes and increasing the number of off-road cycle paths.

We hope these measures lead to a reduction in casualties. If York is truly to be a cycling city, cyclists must know they can ride the streets in safety.