On average, 11 cyclists a day were stopped and fined for riding through red lights in London in 2023, new Metropolitan Police figures have revealed.

The Met’s official statistics on cycling red light infringements, obtained by a Freedom of Information request submitted by the Evening Standard, show that, throughout 2023, 4,067 cyclists were handed £50 fines by officers for failing to obey traffic light signals.

By comparison, Transport for London figures from 2015 showed that 57,692 motorists – or 158 a day – were issued with fines for jumping red lights, in the wake of increased enforcement activity in the capital. A survey conducted in the mid-2010s also suggested that one in four drivers admit to running a red light at least once a year.

The figures obtained by the Standard this week also found that 196 cyclists were given £30 fixed penalty notices for riding on pavements in the capital throughout 2023.

Cyclist in London at night with bus and red light in background – copyright Simon MacMichael
Cyclist in London at night with bus and red light in background – copyright Simon MacMichael (Image Credit: Simon MacMichael)

> Almost 1,000 cyclists fined for jumping red lights in last nine months since City of London Police introduced “Cycle Response Unit”

The new data has been published less than three months after the City of London Police revealed that it has handed out 944 fixed penalty notices to cyclists for riding through red lights since its Cycle Response Unit last summer.

The authority – which polices the Square Mile area of London that is home to the Stock Exchange, Bank of England, and St Paul’s Cathedral – said it would continue to fine cyclists who ride “through red lights, putting themselves and pedestrians at risk”.

Releasing the figures as part of a ‘cycle roadshow’ morning of action outside Mansion House, City of London Police said it would be “cracking down on anti-social behaviour and road offences” at Bank Junction, with “cyclists going through red lights and endangering pedestrians and other road users” to be “issued with an invitation to attend the free roadshow taking place between 8am and 10am”.

Refusal, they said, will result in a £50 fine, the operation somewhat mirroring the structure of other police force’s close pass operations, where some drivers are offered roadside education to avoid a fixed penalty notice.

> Cyclist fined £220 for riding through red light forcing mum with pushchair to stop mid-crossing to avoid collision

The Commander of City of London Police, Umer Khan, said that while “the majority of cyclists are safe and obey the Highway Code”, it remains worth “educating, engaging, and where necessary enforcing those road users who go through red lights, putting themselves and pedestrians at risk”.

The Chair of the City of London Police Authority Board, James Thomson, added that on the Square Mile’s “small and dynamic” streets, “we need to encourage cyclists to use them safely and to respect pedestrians and other road users”.

Nevertheless, the police insisted that its enforcement of cycling offences “has not meant that the force has taken its focus from road traffic offences by drivers, which have a higher rate of causing death and serious injury on our roads”, highlighting that between July 2023 and April 2024 its Road Policing Unit has stopped and checked 3,852 vehicles, issued 1,678 traffic offences, made 92 arrests, and seized 203 vehicles for no insurance.

Cyclists in London stopped at red light outside marks and spencer – copyright Simon MacMichael
Cyclists in London stopped at red light outside marks and spencer – copyright Simon MacMichael (Image Credit: Simon MacMichael)

> Should cyclists be allowed to ride through red lights? Campaigners split on safety benefits

The issue of cyclists riding through red lights has proved a longstanding grievance for some motorists, who use instances of red light-jumping cyclists to highlight the apparent dangers posed by people riding bikes on the roads.

One such, rather peculiar, manifestation of this stance occurred in May, when actor Nigel Havers bizarrely (and falsely) claimed that “no cars go through a red light,” but that “every cyclist does,” during a discussion with cycling writer Laura Laker hosted by Jeremy Vine on his BBC Radio 2 TV show.

> “No cars go through a red light – every cyclist does,” claims Nigel Havers

During the segment, which was later shared by Vine on his social media accounts, road.cc contributor Laker said: “All road users break the law in equal amount. I’m not saying that that’s right.

“We know that roads policing got decimated a decade ago, we lost 20,000 police officers, and so all of road user behaviour has got worse, drivers have become more aggressive, perhaps cyclists have become more aggressive too.”

Interjecting, Havers – who was fined £500 and banned from driving for 12 months after being convicted of drink driving in 1991 – said, “I don’t break the law, I don’t break the rules” before claiming that “motor cars aren’t going through red lights.”

Havers then invited Laker to join him “at a crossroads where no cars go through a red light, every cyclist does.”

> “Cyclists see themselves as the centre of the universe,” says actress Patricia Hodge in rant questioning why police “never” stop red light-jumping cyclists

“That’s not true,” Laker countered. “Definitely people break the law in their cars, with mobile phone use, we know that’s illegal and it’s as bad as drink driving, even driving hands-free.”

“I don’t know what planet you’re on,” Havers responding, before repeating: “Come and stand on the crossroads with me and you’ll see every single cyclist go through the red light.”