Cycling in London 'as safe as walking' David Davies, executive director of the Parliamentary Advisory Counsel for Transport Safety, said the 14 cyclists' deaths in London so far this year is the same number as in 2012 and is still outweighed by casualties of drivers, motorcyclists and pedestrians. The increase in awareness of cyclists' safety is welcome, but it is a "shame" the issue generates more attention than the deaths of pedestrians, he said. Giving evidence to the House of Commons Transport Committee yesterday, Mr Davies was asked whether the deaths last month had caused people to "panic" about cycling in London. "It has certainly come to the forefront of everyone's attention," he replied. In London and across the UK as a whole there are considerably more pedestrians, considerably more motorcyclists and vehicle occupants as well who die, so the number of cyclists deaths, although it has had huge attention, is quite a small minority. It is very welcome that cycling is getting this safety attention but in some ways it is a shame every time a pedestrian is run over in London it doesn't merit similar attention. Ask how safe it is to cycle in the capital, he added: "If you measure it in terms of casualties per mile travelled, then walking and cycling[are] broadly comparable which perhaps suggests walking is not as safe as some people think it might be." Speaking at the same evidence session Ashok Sinha, chief executive of the London Cycling Campaign, said he feared negative publicity about the recent deaths could scare people away from commuting on bicycles. "I am afraid that whilst this attention is certainly focusing our minds on the fact cycling isn't as safe as is should be ... it is also putting people off," he said. Asked if cycling in London is safe, he added: "I would say to cyclists, 'Yes, keep cycling in London, but there are dangers in places and particular circumstances'."