Almost 900 cyclists were victims of hit-and-runs in London last year

New figures from the Metropolitan Police show that 896 cyclists were victims of hit-and-run collisions in London last year.

The total number of people injured in hit-and-run collisions went up in 2013, the fourth consecutive year of increases since 2009. While fatalities and serious injuries declined in line with the general decline in London KSIs last year, road danger reduction campaigners have cautioned it's too early to tell if that reduction is the beginning of a downturn or just a blip.

Pedestrian hit-and-runs have also increased, with 1,043 people on foot falling victim to what Green Party member of the London Assembly Jenny Jones describes as London's "lawless roads".

Jones pointed out that hit-and-run collisions are linked to other driving offences such as drunk driving, speeding, being disqualified or simply having no insurance.

Almost a fifth of collisions leading to injuries in London now involve a driver leaving the scene. The proportion has risen every year since 2009, when it was 13 percent.

Jenny Jones said: “This is a worrying trend which the Met Police need to treat as a priority. Hit and runs are associated with other illegal activities such as drunk driving, speeding, being disqualified or simply having no insurance. When a city has almost a fifth of its injuries from road collisions being linked to hit and runs, then the Mayor ought to be demanding that the police enforce the rules of the road.

"I am particularly shocked that over a thousand pedestrians could be victims of hit and runs in London last year and it isn’t regarded as a major scandal by the Mayor and senior officers in the Met Police. I hope that the Met’s Transport and Traffic teams are given the resources and political backing to get on top of our lawless roads.”

London traffic collisions