Cyclists are being asked to put themselves in the driving seat of a lorry to prevent road accidents.
There were 282 cyclist casualties in Tower Hamlets in 2016, a 27 per cent increase on the year before, the latest figures from Transport for London (TfL) reveal.
And 32 cyclists were seriously injured in 2016, according to analysis from pressure group Travel Independent.
In February last year a rider died following a collision with a lorry at the junction of Knights Road and North Woolwich Road, Silvertown.
Eight cyclists have died on London’s roads so far this year.
The commonest cause of death and serious injury to cyclists involves collisions with heavy good vehicles (HGVs), the Met and TfL reported.
More than 70pc of cyclist deaths involved lorries over the last three years despite HGVs making up only four per cent of miles driven in the capital.
London mayor Sadiq Khan, TfL and the police have vowed to eliminate deaths and serious injuries on the capital’s roads.
The Met’s roads and transport policing command along with TfL hope a virtual reality headset giving cyclists a 360 degree view from a lorry’s cab launched last week will help riders better understand what drivers can and can’t see.
Supt Robert Revill said: “It’s absolutely amazing. I’m really pleased with it.
“We’re aiming to reduce road deaths to zero by 2041.
“Anything we can do to protect cyclists and make roads safer must be a help.”
The brains behind the measure want to take it into schools, youth clubs and care homes to spread awareness of the risks lorries pose to cyclists and vulnerable pedestrians.
“It’s more practical because we can’t take a lorry along,” Supt Revill explained.
Simon Munk from the London Cycling Campaign said: “In east London, we’re seeing some major changes moving forward for a few key junctions such as Charlie Brown’s Roundabout and the Stratford gyratory.
“But we know there are far too many dangerous junctions left that feature no plans and have no funding.
“We need far more rapid action on dangerous junctions, more 20mph zones, more cycle tracks on main roads, more low traffic neighbourhoods, more willingness to back fine words with real action.”
The programme – called Exchanging Places – was filmed in and around an HGV.
It shows a cyclist passing and the driver’s restricted view from the cab.
People wearing the headset get to see all this from the cyclist’s and driver’s points of view.
Hitchin Nomads cyclicng club member Brian Ruggles – who had a go – said: “It was really good. You get a better idea of what the lorry driver can see of you.
“But the lessons need to be for both sides – cyclists and drivers.”
Inspector Tony Mannakee, the Met’s road danger reduction manager, said the headsets would allow the police to reach a wider audience.
“We’re working very hard to reduce fatal and serious collisions. We want to get across the message that everybody’s got a shared responsibility on the roads.
“Everybody needs to respect each other and understand what it’s like to be a cyclist and what it’s like to be in the cab of an HGV.”
TfL plans to bring in a star rating for HGVs based on how well a driver can see from a cab. Only vehicles rated three stars or more or those with enhanced safety will be allowed on the capital’s roads from 2024.
Joshua Harris of road safety charity Brake welcomed the approach saying: “All road deaths are preventable and tragic.
“HGVs are involved in half of all cycling deaths in London so it is vitally important that steps are taken.”
And TfL is renewing calls for volunteers to help police monitor vehicle speeds on the borough’s roads.
Since it began in August 2015 62 joint speed detecting sessions have caught 701 speeding vehicles in the borough.
To sign up email communityroadwatch@metpolice.uk
To suggest a place for the virtual technology programme email exchangingplaces@metpolice.uk
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