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Figures obtained by London newspaper the Evening Standard show that the number of fines given to cyclists who have ridden their bikes dangerously more than doubled in 2013.

The number of £50 fines rose to 15,786 – compared with just 6,286 in 2012.

In November 2013, the Metropolitan Police launched the bike safety campaign Operation Safeway, after six cyclists died on the capital’s roads in just one week.

In 2013, a total of 14 cyclists died on London’s roads – after the launch of Operation Safeway, a total of 11 have died in the capital so far this year.

The number of cyclists riding through red lights rose to a four-year high in 2013, with fines for jumping red lights handed out by police on 4,896 occasions.

Police officers patrolled 166 cycle blackspots under Operation Safeway and fined nearly 6,000 cyclists in November and December 2013. Most of those fined had been cycling on pavements or jumping red lights.

In the first seven months of 2014, a total of 5,851 cyclists were handed fines.

The Met Police raised nearly £1 million (£789,000) from handing out tickets to cyclists for offences which included ignoring traffic lights and road signs, failing to stop when asked to do so by police officers, not having appropriate lights fitted to a bike – and carrying unauthorised passengers on a bicycle.

According to figures from Transport for London, more cyclists have been taking to the roads in London, with daily cycle journeys in the capital rising from 320,000 in 2002 to 580,000 in 2012.

London Mayor Boris Johnson – himself a keen cyclist – has made it a personal mission to get more Londoners cycling, including introducing the so-called “Boris Bikes” initially sponsored by Barclays Bank.

There have been calls for London to become more like cycle-friendly Continental cities such as Amsterdam – however, London’s roads carry heavy traffic 24/7 and the Mayor is introducing more cycle superhighways to help keep cyclists safe on London’s roads.

Chairwoman of the London Cycle Campaign’s board of trustees, Anna Kenrick, said:

“When I see a cyclist jump a red light, I turn to the cyclist next to me in despair.

“We need to tell cyclists to put out the message that they have to follow the rules like everyone else.

“But we need infrastructure, so cyclists don’t take risks – like dedicated cycle lanes.”

Superintendant Robert Revill of the Met’s Roads and Transport Policing Command said:

“This is not about punishment or persecution – but creating awareness. Officers will be out in force, dealing with anyone breaking the law.”

Duncan Lewis Personal Injury Solicitors – Road Traffic Accident Claims

Duncan Lewis is a leading firm of personal injury solicitors and can advise on making no win no fee claims for injuries sustained in road traffic accidents as a result of someone else’s negligence or reckless driving.

Personal injury claimants have three years from the date of injury in which to make Road Traffic Accident Claims, including claims as a pedestrian injured in a road accident, as well as passengers injured in road accidents.

Children can make no win no fee Road Traffic Accident Claims up to the age of 21.

For expert legal advice on no win no fee Road Traffic Accident Claims, call Duncan Lewis Personal Injury Solicitors on 020 7923 4020.