London cyclist deaths: Road users handed 2,000 penalties

Officers were out at 166 key junctions across London during rush hours

More than 2,000 fixed penalty notices were issued to motorists and cyclists during the first three days of a police road safety operation across London.

Metropolitan Police officers were sent to 166 key junctions during London's rush hour periods as part of Operation Safeway.

It follows the deaths of six cyclists in the city within a two-week period.

Between Monday and Wednesday 1,392 fixed penalty notices were issued to motorists and 755 to cyclists.

Arrests for assault

The force said the most common reason for motorists being stopped was for using a mobile phone while driving and jumping red lights.

Cyclists were spoken to for jumping red lights, cycling on the footway and having incorrect lights.

Additionally, 28 people were arrested for assault, possessing drugs, driving while disqualified, failing to stop and assaulting a police officer.

Ch Supt Glyn Jones said: "This operation is aimed at getting all road users to behave more safely on the roads, for their benefit and the benefit of others.

"My hope is that as the operation continues, compliance with the law and the highway code will improve and the need to issue fixed penalty notices will diminish."

During the operation, which will run until Christmas before being reviewed, 2,500 officers will hand out advice to anyone seen putting themselves or other road users and pedestrians at risk.

The six cyclists who died between 5 and 18 November are: Brian Holt, 62; Francis Golding, 69; Roger William De Klerk, 43; Venera Minakhmetova, 24; a 21-year-old man from St John's Wood and a man believed to be in his 60s.

The names of two of the victims have not yet been officially released by police.