Published: 27 October 2011
by RICHARD OSLEY and TOM FOOT

FRIENDS of a young fashion student killed while riding her bicycle in King’s Cross joined safety campaigners last night (Wed­nesday) to leave a “ghost bike” at the spot where she was hit by a lorry.

The tribute to des­igner Deep Lee, 24, who died earlier this month, came in a week when two more women were knocked off their bikes in the area.

Both incidents were close to the junction near King’s Cross station where Ms Lee, whose full name was Min Joo Lee, died under the wheels of an HGV.

The women in the ­latest collisions were hurt seriously enough to need hospital checks and the incidents have heightened calls for safety measures to be taken as matter of supreme urgency.

Ghost bikes have become a global phenomenon, although their installation across London and beyond are not organised by a single group. They are normal bikes spray-painted completely white and left at the scene of fatal collisions as a lasting reminder of the dangers cyclists face.

The one dedicated to Ms Lee was organised by James Thomas, an architect working locally who regularly cycles through the forked road where Euston Road, York Way and Gray’s Inn Road meet. The scene is overlooked by the well-known “Lighthouse” building.

Ms Lee’s boyfriend Kenji Hirasawa sent a message to organisers of last night’s event.

It read: “It must be better to place the bicycle [ghost bike] as soon as possible for other riders noticing about the danger of the area.

I had a lot of arguments with her to stop her riding her bicycle because it is dangerous.

But I could not do it finally. Riding a bicycle and going swimming was part of her ideal lifestyle as ‘Deep Lee’.

So I want to respect her thoughts to the end.”

Mr Thomas urged the crowd gathered on a ­traffic island last night to stop and think about Ms Lee every time they passed by.

He said: “It should stay here for ever.

If you go past, and it looks like it’s in disrepair, take the time to fix it up or get in touch and we will put it right.”

While there was a rush of traffic buzzing around last night’s gathering, there was a sombre silence as Ms Lee’s friends read tributes. Then, as the ghost bike was dressed with flowers, there was a short round of applause for the student.

Camden’s cycling champion Lib Dem councillor Paul Braithwaite and the Green Party’s Jenny Jones were there, as was Will Perrin, the local blogger who has previously called for a coroner to consider corporate manslaughter charges in the case.

Although Ms Lee’s boyfriend had worried about her cycling in the city, campaigners say people on bikes should be able to ride without fear.

The New Journal revealed earlier this month how the junction where Ms Lee was hit had been flagged up as in need of safety improvements.

But the work specifically relating to cycle safety has yet to be started by Transport for London (TfL).

Ms Lee was the 12th woman in recent years to die while riding a bicycle in the south of Camden and Islington.

This week’s collisions were yet another reminder – cyclists in the area say they should not need any more – to transport planners who have been accused of acting too slowly as the number of cyclists passing through King’s Cross every day has mushroomed.

A woman was knocked off her bike by a bus in Gray’s Inn Road during Thursday’s morning rush-hour.

Another female cyclist was hit on Tuesday almost at the exact same spot.

Both women were taken to hospital but discharged the same day, a London Ambulance Service spokeswoman confirmed.

Jaideep Prahbu, who sells mobile phone cards at a stall overlooking the junction, said: “Two women – I saw them both.

It is hard to tell who was to blame – the lorry or the bike.

They probably shouldn’t be on the road together.

I sit here all day, every day and I see about 50 near-misses.

People are flying off their bikes all the time.

The sounds of the horns put them off I think.”

The crashes in recent weeks and Ms Lee’s death have led to cycling campaigners pledging to do all they can to prevent yet another tragedy.

They are considering a mass sit-down protest to block the King’s Cross junction during rush-hour.

Fuelling their anger is the fact that TfL, which is responsible for road safety, failed to implement recommendations made in a report dating back to May 2008.

In a daytime survey of the junction conducted by the New Journal on Thursday afternoon, at least one HGV crossed the Euston Road junction from Gray’s Inn Road   to York Way every time the lights changed.

Sharing the same route, dozens of cars, lorries and cyclists pass through the junction every minute.

Many vehicles are cement mixers or building trucks en route to the £2billion regeneration of King’s Cross.

Ms Lee was on her way to the Central St Martin’s fashion college which has moved into new premises in King’s Cross.

Cyclist blogger Olaf Storbeck said: “I never cycle on Gray’s Inn Road because I think it’s too busy and too dangerous.

Before the construction nightmare around King’s Cross began, I crossed Euston Road at the end of Argyle Street and then took a left turn into Pancras Road and later on Goodsway.

Now, on Argyle Street, I turn right into St Chad’s Street – unfortunately this is a one-way street in the other direction – however, usually there is not much traffic.

I cycle straight on until Birkenhead Street which leads to Euston Road.”

TfL said that before Ms Lee’s death there had not been any serious accidents involving cyclists at the crossing in the past three years.

A TfL spokesman said: “It is a tragedy that a young cyclist has lost her life at this junction outside King’s Cross, and we await the outcome of the ongoing police investigation into what happened.

We are working to design a scheme which will benefit all road users including cyclists and pedestrians. This junction is just one of a number across London where TfL is investing millions to improve facilities for pedestrians and cyclists.”

Ms Lee was killed on the first day of her final year of a design degree course at Central Saint Martin’s. She appeared wearing her own designs in an Elle magazine ­photo shoot in April.

A memorial event for Deep Lee will be held at Central St Martin’s College at 6pm on November 3.