Sheffield cyclist shares heartstopping moment he escapes falling under van as he brands commuting in city 'dreadful'

Phil Moore has branded cycling in the city as ‘dreadful’ after suffering his second collision while commuting in 14 months.

To illustrate his point, he has shared footage of the heartstopping moment he was clipped by a van that changed lanes without looking on the Hunters Bar roundabout during his morning ride on Tuesday (January 18).

The 35-year-old, who admitted he was ‘still shaken’ at the time he spoke to The Star, said: “I have no idea how I managed to avoid going under the van.

"In that moment you’ve got a split second to react, as you cannot believe what they’re doing.

"The driver got out and was very polite and sorry, but polite doesn’t change the fact it could have ended in me dying.

"I’m sick of it. Every single minute I’m on the road I wonder if I’m going to see my fiancé again.”

It comes after Phil, an office coodinator for a city centre charity who cycles from Banner Cross into work every day, took up cycling in lockdown.

But 14 months ago, he was seriously injured by another motorist on Haversage Road, which he is still receiving physiotherapy for today.

In the clip from Tuesday, which was filmed at 9.30am, Phil tries to exit the Hunters Bar roundabout onto Ecclesall Road when a blue van on his right hand side abruptly changes lanes and catches him on the handlebars.

Phil can be seen putting an arm out to brace himself against the van and shouting in alarm, only for the bike to fall away from under him.

Phil said: “I remember looking down and realising if I didn’t dismount the bike the frame would sweep my feet out from under me. I could have been dragged under the van. If my feet had been caught I probably wouldn’t be here.”

The accident has since been reported to the police.

The incident caused around £100 of damage to Phil’s bike as well.

Phil said: “Cycling in Sheffield is dreadful. There’s no infrastructure, and really poor awareness from drivers.

"Most drivers are okay but it’s the 10 per cent who aren’t aware and it only takes one idiot to end your life.

“Every journey I have close calls – from someone pulling out without looking, or maneuvering without looking, or pulling past me aggressively because they don’t like me on the road."

He is now calling on the council to rethink cycling infrastructure, labelling Hunters Bar in particular an ‘accident blackspot’.

He also says he says the proposal for an all-day bus lane on Ecclesall Road ‘needs more work’, and would sooner see the current bus lane hours enforced.

He says: “Every time someone park in the bus lane it means I have to put my wellbeing at risk.

"There must be more investment in active travel in Sheffield – cars have the benefit of petrol, so they do not have to travel on the quickest route. The main trunk routes into the city should be invested in to support public transport and bikes. It would reduce the number of cars on the road and reduce travel times for everyone.”