MPs have debated the issue of cyclist safety on London's road in the wake of spate of fatalities where bike riders were in collision with lorries.
Conservative MP for Brentford and Isleworth, Mary Macleod led a cross-party debate in Parliament on November 26 which resolved that while cycling should be encouraged, it must be made safer.
Six cyclists have died during November bringing the total to 14 this year, the same number as in 2012. However the number of journeys made by bike doubled between 2000 and 2012 to over 540,000 per day.
Mary Macleod said: "‘I organised this debate in Parliament because I felt it was important to have a discussion on what can be done to increase safety for cyclists. Although the Mayor and City Hall have introduced a number of positive developments for cyclists in London in recent years, 14 deaths is 14 too many.
"I am calling for the Mayor, Transport for London, the Department of Transport and local Councils to meet urgently and come up with priority actions that need to be taken to make cycling safer in London."
Options available to make cycling safer, such as better safety equipment on lorries and the installation of Trixi mirrors at road junctions to provide drivers of heavy goods vehicles with improved visibility, were raised in the debate. At the end of the discussion, Mary called for a cycling safety summit in London to address this issue.
Responding to the debate, Robert Goodwill MP, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, said: "It is important that we work together with all the stakeholders involved, including the cycling campaign groups and the all-party group on cycling, of which I used to be a member."
