Based on a press launch from The Metropolis of London Police this morning, the pressure have fined twice as many cyclists for operating pink lights within the Metropolis between April 2025 and March 2026 than they did within the earlier monetary yr, with figures rising from 643 to 1,315. On common, the assertion continued, officers are issuing 25 mounted penalty notices per week to cyclists, with Sergeant Stuart Ford, Cycle Crew lead on the Metropolis of London Police, saying: “We’re going the additional mile by listening to issues of the general public and cracking down on anti-social behaviour and highway offences.”
All effectively and good. Cyclists clearly ought to by no means experience by way of pink lights. However one other set of figures have been additionally made public in the present day, compiled by the Metropolitan Police themselves, however obtained and launched by LBC, which revealed that 96% of hit-and-run offences involving a automobile and a bicycle owner resulted in no punishment by any means for the drivers who fled the scene.
Article continues beneath
(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
“Working a pink gentle is idiotic,” Simon Munk from The London Biking Marketing campaign. “However there must be a way of proportionality. Is it extra necessary to prosecute behaviour that may have resulted in critical damage or loss of life, over an motion that sometimes leads, if something, to a minor incident or disagreeable interplay?”
Maybe there’s some political stress, on this age of tradition battle battle between automobile customers and cyclists. Munk says he has noticed a transparent and growing pattern for London Councillors in charge cyclists for issues on the highway. “Many drivers are additionally responsible of red-light leaping and ‘amber-gambling’, however the police have not launched their figures on that,” he informed CW. “We are saying the largest risk nonetheless comes from vehicles and the Metropolis has to maintain its concentrate on driver behaviour. Hit and run incidents are so prevalent”
Munk can also be eager to level to police inaction relating to bike theft, and he provides examples about stolen bikes fitted with functioning trackers that the police have nonetheless didn’t find. Based on The London Biking Marketing campaign, which has an open petition calling for extra motion on bike crime, some 40,000 bicycles are stolen in London yearly, with solely 2% ever being recovered.
“The Met are letting down cyclists left, proper and centre,” says Munk. “It is dangerous sufficient on theft, however even worse relating to hit-and-run incidents.”
Bicycle owner, Nicolas Georgiou, was the sufferer of a hit-and-run incident in 2025
(Picture credit score: Nicolas Georgiou)
I spoke to Nicolas Georgiou, a daily bicycle owner and Strava Artist who lives in London and final yr was the sufferer of a critical hit-and-run incident that left him hospitalised, about his expertise when he reported the crime.
“I used to be 200 metres from house when a van, which was parked totally on the pavement, pulled out with no indication,” he recounts. “I noticed it and swerved, however it clipped my elbow and despatched me flying throughout the highway. I narrowly averted going by way of the again window of a parked automobile, however my wheel went right into a pothole and I used to be thrown over the bars.”
The van sped off, and Georgiou was left with a dislocated elbow, compound fractures on each knees, haematomas on his shins and facial accidents. “My new helmet, saved my head,” he says. “However I slid alongside on my face.” His Specialised S-Works SL Tarmac bike was additionally utterly written off.
“I contacted the police right away and informed them what had occurred,” he tells me. “They requested if I’d bought an insurance coverage quantity from the motive force, or a registration quantity. And I mentioned ‘no’, and identified that I’d been mendacity on the bottom, injured, after they drove off.
“I dwell in Lewisham, proper on the sting of a ULEZ zone, and requested if they may test the cameras on the South Round, as a result of the van was previous and undoubtedly not ULEZ compliant. However they mentioned these digital camera belonged to the council and so they couldn’t take a look at the footage.
“I referred to as again once I bought out of hospital, and so they mentioned that they had closed the case. I appealed, and a policeman did come out. He was good, and took down all the knowledge, and mentioned they’d do one thing about it. However nothing occurred.”
The pothole bought stuffed in although, after he reported the incident to the council. However it took two months. “And so they mentioned I couldn’t make a declare for the accident,” Georgiou sighs. “As a result of I’d been hit by a automobile and knocked into the pothole, I hadn’t ridden into it by mistake…”
Georgiou sustained vital accidents and his Specialised S-Works SL7 Tarmac bike was written off
(Picture credit score: Nicolas Georgiou)
We contacted the Metropolitan Police to ask in regards to the obvious discrepancy between the way in which the regulation is being enforced for cyclists and motorists, and to debate the issues we had about the way in which offences have been being prioritised.
“The Met works laborious to scale back collisions and make sure the security of all highway customers, with assist from companions together with Transport for London and native councils,” mentioned a spokesperson in response. “We now have a devoted workforce of officers, centered on offences that trigger the best hurt: rushing, drink and drug driving, cell phone use, careless and harmful driving, and uninsured or unlicensed automobiles and drivers.
“It’s tragic at any time when someone is killed or severely injured on London’s roads, and we stay firmly dedicated to lowering that danger.”
In addition they said: “Whether or not arrests are made following a highway site visitors collision relies on quite a few components, together with the severity of any accidents. Typically, suspects are invited in for interview at a later date. They might nonetheless be topic to prosecution, even within the absence of an arrest, as expenses can observe a voluntary interview below warning.
“In 2025, there have been 52 collisions involving vehicles and bicycles leading to private damage. Whereas there weren’t any arrests, there have been 4 prosecutions. Quite a few investigations additionally stay open.”