Greg Simmons, a 36-year-old screenwriter from Edmonton, north London, is pursuing legal action against Enfield Council after a horrific cycling accident left him with two broken elbows and a fractured jaw. The incident occurred in February last year on Hertford Road (the A1010) when he attempted to manoeuvre around a stationary bus in a cycle lane. His front wheel struck a thick plastic lane divider — a safety measure intended to protect cyclists — and he was catapulted over the handlebars into the road.
Accident Details and Injuries
Mr Simmons explained that most of the dividers along the lane were fitted with vertical poles, known as safety wands, which made them visible. However, the divider he hit had no such wand, making it almost impossible to spot at speed because it was the same colour as the road surface and lacked reflectors. He told the London Standard: “I looked to pull around a bus and the next minute I was flying through the air over my handlebars. It was just a split second but felt like it lasted for ages and I remember thinking ‘this isn’t going to be good’.”
Initially, Mr Simmons attended A&E for treatment to his chin and knee, where doctors discovered he had broken both elbows. A subsequent X-ray also revealed a hairline fracture of his jaw. He said: “I thought I had got away with it as I didn’t feel any pain until I got to the hospital and the doctor asked me to straighten my arms and I couldn’t.”
Long-Term Impact and Legal Action
More than a year after the crash, Mr Simmons still cannot fully straighten his left arm and has been told he has suffered approximately 20% muscle loss in that arm. He is left-handed but now finds his left arm weaker than his right. He described the psychological toll: “It wasn’t the pain that was so bad, it was the stress of the whole thing. Me and my partner were moving home ten days after the crash. I’m a positive person but this really affected my life.” He added that he was fortunate no traffic was coming, as he could have been killed.
Mr Simmons is now taking legal action against Enfield Council through personal injury specialists Osbornes Law. He argues that the divider serves no purpose other than being a hazard, particularly when the safety wands are missing. He said: “The council say they aren’t responsible, despite installing the large piece of plastic in a cycle lane that appears to serve no purpose apart from be a hazard… The safety measures are really inconsistent. They need to change that to stop this happening to someone else.”
Council Response and Precedent
A spokesperson for Enfield Council declined to comment, citing the ongoing legal proceedings. Megan Lambert, a specialist personal injury lawyer from Osbornes Law, stated: “My client suffered serious injuries through no fault of his own because of a safety measure that the council installed. He has suffered considerable harm and distress, which has been compounded by the council denying liability. I would urge them to reconsider their position and settle this matter as soon as possible.”
Osbornes Law previously represented cyclist Richard Lander, who was thrown from his bike by a similar road safety measure in Croydon, south London. Mr Lander won his case against Croydon Council in 2025.
