The government has been urged to take immediate action following the deaths of three cyclists in London in a week.

A male cyclist in his early 30s died after suffering critical injuries following a collision with a lorry in east London on Thursday.

Earlier in the week, two cyclists died in the capital within hours of each other on Monday.

A 30-year-old female cyclist was killed in the early hours of the morning after a hit-and-run collision in Enfield, with a 32-year-old female cyclist also dying after a collision with a coach in Tower Hamlets.

British Cycling’s campaigns manager Martin Key said it’s vital that further tragedies are prevented:

“Three cycling deaths this week in London brings it into sharp focus how far as a country we have to go to make cycling a transport option for the majority of people. Statistically cycling remains a safe transport option - more people end up in hospital because of gardening than cycling - but still far too many people are involved in avoidable collisions while going about their day.

“Despite this week’s tragedies the Mayor of London is showing the way by setting out a long-term investment strategy to create cycling networks and projects to remove the most dangerous vehicles from the road. We need this sort of leadership at a national level. Away from London, the stretched budgets of local councils for essential services mean that, as things stand, cycling and walking infrastructure will not be seen as a priority.

“That’s why it is vital that the Department for Transport ups its 1% budget allocation given to cycling and walking. This isn’t about necessarily finding new money, it is about relocating existing budgets such as the £15 billion roads budget. It is not only about money, our Turning the Corner campaign is about changing the rules of the road to make junctions simpler and safer for all road users. This is something the government can do right now to improve safety.”

Find out more about the Turning the Corner campaign and join more than 26,000 people who have signed the petition.