Cyclists who jump red lights this year will be offered an alternative to a £50 fixed penalty: watching a safety film about a cyclist who was badly injured in a collision with a bus after running a red light.
The cyclist, Gabby Stonkute, had cycled headlong into a bus after running a red light at a busy junction close to St Paul’s Cathedral in central London. She was in an induced coma for a week, and suffered a collapsed lung, 10 fractures to her face, including a broken jaw, nose, chin and both eye sockets.
“I was in a rush for a hair appointment,” she told the Financial Times. “I’m not brave. I was just reckless.”
The safety film will feature the CCTV footage of the incident, along with Stonkute sharing her story.
“They warned me I might be subject to trolling, but I’ll take it as long as it does some good,” said Stonkute.
She added that the fact that the bus driver was going at 15mph instead of the legal limit of 20mph probably saved her life.
London cyclists use Superhighway 6 at Blackfriars (credit: Tilia44/wikimedia commons/CC BY-SA 4.0)
The authorities are using Stonkute’s story to highlight the dangers of reckless cycling.
They believe that the poor cycling behaviours may be a by-product of the success of wider safety measures. A Local Policing committee report said: “It is now significantly less risky (to personal safety) for City cyclists to run red lights and otherwise cycle dangerously.”
“We’re extremely grateful and praise Gabby’s bravery for working with us on a cycling red-light campaign, which will undoubtedly save lives and prevent serious injuries,” said City police constable Brett Daniels.
Fabian Hamilton MP, chair of the all-party parliamentary group for cycling and walking, said: “Levels of cycling in London have been increasing in recent years, which is hugely positive. It means less congestion on our roads, improved public health, and that more people are being enabled to make different choices about how they travel.”
“It is essential that everyone follows the Highway Code and doesn’t behave in a way that endangers either other people or themselves.”
He added “that road traffic police numbers have been severely reduced, in the last decade and a half”.
One officer added that “our hands are tied, anything greater than £50 requires going to court.”
City of London Police fining cyclists (credit: CityPolice on Twitter/X)
Hospitals are seeing the consequences of risky cycling behaviour firsthand. At the NHS Royal London Hospital, similar injuries are common.
“They told me that 70 per cent survive and only 25 per cent walk away with no long-term complications. I’m incredibly lucky not to have any of that,” said Stonkute.
In the first months of 2025, the Royal London Hospital counted 202 limb injuries on traditional bikes and 125 on e-bikes.
Jaison Patel, an orthopaedic knee surgeon at the Royal London, said there has been an increase in accidents involving riders or pedestrians. This is partly thanks to the rise in popularity of e-bikes, which are heavier than traditional bikes, so they tend to cause more severe injuries.
He said, “Prevention measures are possible, though how it’s done is beyond our control. What we can do as surgeons is highlight the issue, and hopefully somebody will take notice and do something about it.”