Rate of cyclist injuries on London's roads on the rise

The rate of cycling deaths or serious injuries on London's roads has increased since 2010, according to figures from Transport for London.

The number of cyclists killed or seriously injured per million journeys was 2.37 in 2010, but rose to 3.17 by 2012.

London Assembly member Jenny Jones said the roads were "not getting safer".

The mayor's cycling commissioner said steps were being taken to improve safety.

Cycling programme

Jenny Jones, Green Party London Assembly member, said the mayor of London, Boris Johnson, should focus on investing in cycling infrastructure, from safer junctions to the separation of cyclists from HGVs.

"This mayor has made a lot of promises to cyclists, but has under-delivered time and time again," she said.

"He has refused to listen to sensible advice from local cycling campaigners and he still isn't."

The London Travel Report 6 also showed that the number of cycle trips increased by 90,000 a day between 2008 and 2012.

Andrew Gilligan, the mayor's cycling commissioner said: "The number of cyclist deaths in 2013 was exactly the same as in 2012 and less than in 2011, despite a growth in cycle journeys over that time.

"The rise in the number of serious injuries is precisely why we relaunched the cycling programme 10 months ago, more than trebling spending and committing to far greater levels of provision, including many segregated junctions and lanes."

He added that most of the changes would take longer than 10 months to deliver.

'Traumatic road death'

Katharine Giles was the second cyclist to be killed in 2013

The figures emerged as a coroner found that a cyclist who died in Victoria last summer was killed in a crash with a tipper truck.

Katharine Giles was cycling to work at University College London (UCL) when she was involved in a collision on 5 August.

It happened during the morning rush hour at the junction between Victoria Street and Palace Street.

Witnesses at the inquest said the scientist and lecturer was in an HGV blind spot on Victoria Street when the incident occurred.

The lorry was indicating that he was turning left and its audio warning was sounding, the inquest was told.

The coroner recorded a verdict of traumatic road death.

Dr Giles was the second cyclist to be killed in 2013.

In total 14 cyclists died on London's roads last year, nine of which involved heavy goods vehicles.