TfL highlighted a fall in the number of cycling fatalities, from nine to six, rather than the data showing a significant rise in the number of serious and slight injuries involving bikes, transport campaigner John Stewart has told The Standard.

“The latest data suggests it’s becoming more dangerous to cycle on London’s streets. It’s no surprise that TfL tried to cover up these shocking figures,” he maintained.

TfL’s release on the latest road safety figures, put out on 29 May, was entitled “London road deaths down again in 2025, but more work to do to reduce road danger”. The TfL release does mention an eight per cent increase in serious injuries, rising from 3,597 in 2024 to 3,900 in 2025 “driven by both injuries” to people cycling and travelling in a car.

However, announcing the latest road traffic safety figures, critics say that TfL highlighted a fall in the number of cycling fatalities, from nine to six, rather than the data showing a significant rise in the number of serious and slight injuries involving bikes.

Simon Munk, head of campaigns at the London Cycling Campaign, stressed:

“The good news is that cycling levels are booming and fatalities are down. “But the current level of risk is on the rise and there are more serious injuries than there was growth in cycling. That’s absolutely the wrong direction and highlights the need to do a lot more for cycling and walking.”

He added:

“TfL needs to be more transparent about not only the statistics but also the reason for these rises.”

He suspects the growing number of injuries is more linked to the capital running out of cycling infrastructure capacity rather than the greater use of e-bikes.

The number of fatalities and serious injuries among cyclists in 2025 was 1,196, a jump of 20.3% on the 994 in 2024, and a record high since at least 2017.= This rate of increase was higher than that for the growing number of people using a bike in the city.

There were 1.5 million daily cycle journeys in 2025, a 12.7 per cent rise from 1.33 million in 2024, according to Transport for London.

There were 5,662 cyclists killed, seriously hurt or slightly injured last year, compared to ,4,878 in 2024, a rise of 784 or 16.1%, also a record high since at least 2017.

(Picture: Kevin Borras/Highways News)