Bradley Wiggins calls for compusory cycle helmets after cyclist killed near Hackney Wick

Olympic gold medallist Bradley Wiggins has called for cycle helmets to be made compulsory after a cyclist was killed in a collision with a coach outside the Olympic Park, near Hackney Wick last night (August 1).

Wiggins, who rode to victory in the time trial yesterday, was asked what he thought about safety on London’s roads following the incident in which a 28-year-old man died.

He said: “It’s dangerous and London is a busy city and a lot of traffic. I think we have to help ourselves sometimes.

“I haven’t lived in London for 10 to 15 years now and it’s got a lot busier since I was riding a bike as a kid round here, and I got knocked off several times.

“But I think things are improving to a degree - there are organisations out there who are attempting to make the roads safer for both parties.

“But at the end of the day, we’ve all got to co-exist on the roads.

“Cyclists are not ever going to go away, as much as drivers moan, and as much as cyclists maybe moan about certain drivers, they are never going to go away, so there’s got to be a bit of give and take.”

A spokesman for British Cycling said: “It would be inappropriate to comment further on this particular incident until the full facts are known but at British Cycling we believe that a lot more could be done to make the roads safer for cyclists.”

He added: “Helmets can help save lives in many incidents and we recommend they are worn.

“What would contribute much, much more to making cycling safer is better road infrastructure.”

It is not yet known whether the cyclist was wearing a helmet when he was hit by an Olympic bus carrying journalists.