The aim of this Generic Risk Assessment is to help the Ride Leader identify potential hazards, assess the level of risk involved with them ; and then to identify ways of alleviating/reducing the risk, taking mitigation action, or to avoid the hazard completely. This is to reduce the likelihood of an incident occurring & keeping all riders as safe as possible. We hope that Ride Leaders positively embrace the process of using the Guidance to improve the quality of their rides.
This Generic Risk Assessment is applicable to all Coventry CTC Day Rides as these are classed as regular member group rides by CyclingUK. (It does not cover any rides which are open to the general public & where a more formal written risk assessment is mandatory in order to comply with CyclingUK standards.)
We are blessed in Warwickshire and the surrounding counties with a multitude of small lanes, minor roads & quiet B-roads – our club rides will be predominantly on these types of roads & avoiding A-roads wherever possible. However where A-roads are likely to be encountered the Risk Assessment does include the appropriate guidance.
We’ve listed the typical hazards that are likely to be encountered – although it is not an exhaustive list as there are probably other hazards that may be met infrequently. The advice given is general in nature & should be tailored to meet the exact nature of the hazard.
Communication of these hazards, and what should be done to negotiate them safely, out to the group can be done at the start of the ride, then as individual hazards are about to be encountered on the ride the Ride Leader can communicate the appropriate Mitigation / Action at that time.
Below are examples of usual potential hazards we are likely to encounter & the usual recommended mitigations – these are split into General Hazards & Hazards associated with main roads.
#1 |
General Hazards | |
| (a) | Hazard | Downhill sections of roads containing lots of gravel and potholes. |
| Risk level | High | |
| Mitigation/Action | Ride Leader to warn riders at a suitable point in advance of the hazard to slow down & take extra care. | |
| (b) | Hazard | Downhill sections which have a sharp bend or junction that the riders will approach quickly etc. |
| Risk level | High | |
| Mitigation/Action | Ride Leader to warn riders at a suitable point in advance of the hazard to slow down & take extra care. | |
| (c) | Hazard | Roads liable to flooding (especially during the winter). |
| Risk level | High | |
| Mitigation/Action | The Ride Leader should avoid these when formulating a route, but if the group comes across an unexpected flood, then the Ride Leader should remind everyone that it’s more than likely to be best to cycle down the middle of the road (rather than the sides, so as to avoid submerged potholes & get the benefit from any road camber), & to go through unclipped, reasonably slowly & with a reasonable gap between riders. | |
| (d) | Hazard | Crossing a ford. |
| Risk level | High | |
| Mitigation/Action | The Ride Leader should have determined whether there’s a footbridge alongside & if so, should recommend that it be used. If no other option but to go through the ford, assess whether the depth is considered too deep – if so, replan a diversion to the route. If deemed safe to cross, then advise to cross singly, in as straight a line as possible, unclipped & not following behind one another closely. | |
| (e) | Hazard | Risk of ice during winter months, especially on the back lanes after prolonged low temperatures overnight. |
| Risk level | High | |
| Mitigation/Action | Ride Leader should consider an alternative route to avoid narrow/shady lanes & re-route onto the wider roads which will probably have been gritted. Alternatively, & especially if there is a very high risk of encountering ice, then to just cancel the ride. | |
| (f) | Hazard | Lane full of potholes. |
| Risk level | Medium | |
| Mitigation/Action | Ride Leader to avoid wherever possible. | |
| (g) | Hazard | Short sections of roads or junctions containing lots of gravel and/or potholes. |
| Risk level | Medium | |
| Mitigation/Action | Ride Leader to warn riders at a suitable point in advance of the hazard. | |
| (h) | Hazard | A narrow downhill section followed immediately by a steep uphill section, which might cause riders to bunch up due to being in the wrong gear. |
| Risk level | Medium | |
| Mitigation/Action | Ride Leader to warn riders at a suitable point in advance of the hazard. | |
| (i) | Hazard | Any areas of exposed road that could be affected by high cross-winds. |
| Risk level | Medium | |
| Mitigation/Action | Ride Leader to warn riders at a suitable point in advance of the hazard. | |
#2 |
Main Road Hazards | |
| (a) | Hazard | Crossing main roads. |
| Risk level | High | |
| Mitigation/Action | When crossing a main road, riders must be discouraged from using small gaps in traffic & crossing individually, as this could impact on other riders, causing them to make inappropriate & last-minute decisions to cross when unsafe. Best practice is to have a disciplined approach & for the Ride Leader to wait for more than a sufficient gap in the traffic, which will allow the whole group to cross together; or alternatively & where appropriate, the Ride Leader could allocate crossing in sub-groups instead. | |
| (b) | Hazard | Crossing a main road at a blind junction. |
| Risk level | High | |
| Mitigation/Action | Ride Leader either replan the route or prepare a suitable method of crossing the junction so as to do so in as safe a manner as possible e.g. nominate one rider to cross first, such that they then have a better view for any approaching traffic & can advise the main group accordingly. | |
| (c) | Hazard | Any length of main road where there will be a considerable level of traffic & where that traffic is either travelling very fast or includes heavy goods vehicles. |
| Risk level | High | |
| Mitigation/Action | The Ride Leader should avoid these types of roads all together & should re-plan a more suitable route. | |
| (d) | Hazard | Turning right off a main road, especially when the turning is close to a bend. |
| Risk level | High | |
| Mitigation/Action | Ride Leader either replan the route or prepare a suitable method of navigating the junction, giving considerations to: stopping on the left if safe to do so, avoiding riders being stationary in the middle of the road waiting to cross, nominating one rider to cross ahead of the others, such that they then have a better view for any approaching traffic & can advise the main group accordingly. | |
| (e) | Hazard | Steep uphill section of main road. |
| Risk level | High | |
| Mitigation/Action | Ride Leader should avoid where possible as the riders will be slower uphill, will be putting more effort in & so may “wobble”/deviate from a straight line more than normal, & will probably get spaced apart, all presenting a greater challenge/risk for traffic to overtake. | |
| (f) | Hazard | Any length of A-road. |
| Risk level | Medium | |
| Mitigation/Action | In general Ride Leaders will not plan routes with significant lengths of A-roads. A-roads will generally only be used in short sections so as to link routes across onto the more normal side lanes. Where an A-road must be used for any length, then during the ride the Ride Leader should ensure that the group splits up into sub-groups to enable traffic to pass more easily. Also, it would be advisable that the groups ride at an elevated pace such as to reduce the time that riders are exposed to the risk. |