Cyclists in uproar over Addison Lee boss' views on road deaths

Bus lane rebel John Griffin - boss of minicab firm Addison Lee - has caused a fresh storm after writing an opinion piece in which he blames cyclists for the rise in the number of deaths involving those riding bikes on London's roads.

Mr Griffin, who has already caused controversy by urging his team of 3,500 drivers to flout road laws and use bus lanes in the capital, wrote a piece in his company's magazine Add Lib in which he blamed 'beginner cyclists' for a 3% increase in accidents last year.

He wrote: "This summer the roads will be thick with bicycles. These cyclists are throwing themselves onto some of the most congested spaces in the world.

"They leap onto a vehicle which offers them no protection except a plastic padded hat. Should a motorist fail to observe a granny wobbling to avoid a pothole or a rain drain, then he is guilty of failing to anticipate this was somebody on her maiden voyage into the abyss."

He added: "The rest of us occupying this roadspace have had to undergo intensive training... it is time for us to say to cyclists: 'If you want to join our gang, get trained and pay up'."

Many Twitter users were today calling for a boycott on Addison Lee.

User Treadly and Me tweeted: "More disgusting anti-cyclist drivel from bus lane invading Addison Lee chairman."

Former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott also joined the chorus of disapproval, writing: "Is Addison Lee's boss breaking section 44 of 1980 Magistrates Court Act by aiding & abetting drivers to break law?"

A statement from the London Cycling Campaign read: "Addison Lee already has a very poor reputation among cyclists, with its drivers being frequently accused of inconsiderate or dangerous behaviour on the road.

"Now it appears from the article that Griffin is prepared to deliberately infest his whole company with anti-cyclist sentiment, putting the lives of Londoners at greater risk."


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It continued: "It’s hard to see how the government departments and corporate clients that currently use Addison Lee services can continue to do so without appearing to condone the chairman’s complete disregard for cyclist safety.

"We strongly urges all cyclists working in companies that use Addison Lee to urge them to only hire private hire car firms that show a responsible attitude towards cyclist safety."

Mr Griffin may be forced next week to withdraw his instruction to his drivers to use restricted lanes in London as Transport for London goes to the high court on Monday to seek an injunction.

Mr Griffin claims it is unfair that black cab drivers are allowed to use bus lanes but private hire vehicles are not.

Last week he told The Guardian his company was losing millions of pounds because of the restrictions and compared the battle between black cabs and minicabs as 'like Northern Ireland".