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| Cameron 'sorry for bike mistakes' | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Conservative leader David Cameron has apologised after being photographed breaking red lights and cycling the wrong way up a one-way street. | Conservative leader David Cameron has apologised after being photographed breaking red lights and cycling the wrong way up a one-way street. |
| Pictures in the Daily Mirror newspaper showed the politician breaching traffic rules as he cycled to work. | Pictures in the Daily Mirror newspaper showed the politician breaching traffic rules as he cycled to work. |
| "I know it is important to obey traffic laws - but I have obviously made mistakes on this occasion and I am sorry," Mr Cameron said in a statement. | "I know it is important to obey traffic laws - but I have obviously made mistakes on this occasion and I am sorry," Mr Cameron said in a statement. |
| But cycling groups defended him, blaming poor regulation and signage. | But cycling groups defended him, blaming poor regulation and signage. |
| Cyclist rules | Cyclist rules |
| The Mirror followed Mr Cameron on three Wednesdays as he cycled to the Houses of Parliament from his Notting Hill home. | The Mirror followed Mr Cameron on three Wednesdays as he cycled to the Houses of Parliament from his Notting Hill home. |
| The newspaper featured Mr Cameron cycling the wrong way up a one-way street in Dawson Place, breaking a red light in Great George Street, driving the wrong way around a bollard in the Mall and breaching a red light at the Houses of Parliament. | |
| But the pictures merely highlighted the difficulties the average London cyclist faced, said cycling campaign group CTC. | But the pictures merely highlighted the difficulties the average London cyclist faced, said cycling campaign group CTC. |
| "It shows what an ass cycling regulation [and] traffic management is in this country at the moment... we campaign in CTC for things like opening up one-way streets, which are allowed all over Europe," said director Kevin Mayne. | |
| "[Mr Cameron] is a yard in front of the white line in front of the Houses of Parliament - frankly, that's where I'd go to get away from the cars, he was hardly jumping the light," he said. | "[Mr Cameron] is a yard in front of the white line in front of the Houses of Parliament - frankly, that's where I'd go to get away from the cars, he was hardly jumping the light," he said. |
| He added that the story had also highlighted how difficult signage was for cyclists in London. | |
| Hypocrisy? | Hypocrisy? |
| However, Kevin Clinton, head of road safety for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, criticised Mr Cameron. | However, Kevin Clinton, head of road safety for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, criticised Mr Cameron. |
| "It is essential that all road users, including cyclists, obey traffic laws. The laws are there for everybody's safety and, as always, it is disappointing when someone in the public eye sets a bad example," he said. | "It is essential that all road users, including cyclists, obey traffic laws. The laws are there for everybody's safety and, as always, it is disappointing when someone in the public eye sets a bad example," he said. |
| Road safety charity Brake stressed that all road users, including cyclists, needed to observe traffic rules. | |
| "People are dying on the roads every day and we can't afford to become complacent," a spokeswoman said. | |
| "As a role model, Mr Cameron must be aware that if he does break them [the rules], it is going to send out the wrong message to those he hopes to inspire." | |
| 'Publicity stunt' | |
| Steve Pound, Labour MP for Ealing North, said: "David Cameron aspires to make the laws of the land but can't uphold them. | |
| He added: "We all remember the last time he went the wrong way up a one-way street with a publicity stunt. At least this time his driver wasn't following with his shoes." | |
| The Tory leader, who has been keen to establish his green credentials, cycles to work once a week - usually on Wednesday. | The Tory leader, who has been keen to establish his green credentials, cycles to work once a week - usually on Wednesday. |
| He found himself accused of hypocrisy in 2006 for cycling while being followed by a car carrying his briefcase. | He found himself accused of hypocrisy in 2006 for cycling while being followed by a car carrying his briefcase. |
| He has since said that this only happened "once or twice". | He has since said that this only happened "once or twice". |