A cyclist seemingly disobeys a red traffic signal on the Kingsland Road, Hackney. Photo: D1v1d

A drivers’ group has claimed that many cycling accidents in Hackney are due to cyclists’ poor road manners.

One cyclist has been killed and two others seriously injured after collisions with vehicles in the borough in the past month.

Roger Lawson, Association for British Drivers (ABD) London spokesperson, said: “Cyclists are not aware of the drivers, they behave badly in the traffic, go through red lights and think they have more rights to the roads.”

Following the many collisions between cyclists and drivers in Hackney, during the past month, Hackney Gazette and Transport for London have launched a Cycling Awareness Campaign to insure greater safety for the cyclists in Hackney.

The ABD expressed discontent with the amount of blame being put on the drivers. Lawson said that it is “diverting attention away from the real issues.”

Lawson suggests that the capital’s roads are “badly designed” and that is one of the issues Transport For London should be dealing with.

Chris Peck, policy officer at CTC, The UK’s largest cycling organisation, said: “The levels of law breaking by cyclists are infinitesimal when compared with the daily law-breaking of motorists” and emphasized that 71 per cent of accidents following a red light violation are caused by cars.

Peck said: “We do agree that the roads are badly designed and TfL and the boroughs need to do far more to make them easier and safer for cyclists to use”

Despite possible differences both CTC and ABD agree on the fact that a mutual respect will create a better road environment.

Lawson said: “We all have rights to the roads. It is discrimination otherwise.”

More below: On your bike: cyclists fight for their right to ride