Cyclists in the City of London have been caught 10 times more often than motorists for running red lights this year.
Since the start of 2025, 284 cyclists in the City of London have been fined for failing to stop at lights, but only 25 motorists were ticketed for the same offence.
Cyclists face a £50 fine for going through red lights while drivers face a £100 fine and three points on their licence. The money from fines goes to the Treasury.
Red-light jumping is classed as a traffic offence but the enforcement figures emerged after City Police launched a “safer city streets” campaign to target anti-social behaviour in the Square Mile, including riding on pavements.
It comes as a survey of London cyclists, commissioned by Lime, the e-bike rental operator, found just over half of respondents in London admitted to jumping red lights - including 16 per cent who did it regularly.
Riders who cycled daily, often for their commute to work, were the most frequent offenders – 58 per cent admitted to running red lights, according to the survey, by behavioural insights experts Thinks Insight & Strategy.
Comparatively, only 43 per cent of cyclists who ride monthly said they jump red lights.
More than 80 per cent of cyclists surveyed recognised their behaviour to be dangerous, but more than one in 10 said they were unaware the practice was illegal.
The City police said the increase in cyclists in the area has sparked a rise in pedestrians, motorists and cyclists calling for action to tackle rogue riders.
The Standard previously reported that the number of cycle journeys in the City of London has increased by 57 per cent in two years – with bikes outnumbering cars by two to one in the “square mile” financial district during the day.
The huge rise – the biggest ever recorded by the City of London Corporation – was fuelled in part by a 340 per cent increase in the use of dockless bikes, such as the Lime and Forest e-bikes that are widely available across central London.
The Lime survey found little evidence that users of hire e-bikes jumped red lights because the “clock was ticking” on the cost of their ride. Many users buy discounted “bundles” of minutes, but face higher per-minute charges once the purchased time period expires.
Wanting to save money on the cost of hiring a bike was mentioned by only 12 per cent of respondents as a reason for jumping red lights rather than waiting for the lights to change.
Hal Stevenson, director of policy UK & Ireland, Lime, said: “Running red lights puts everyone at risk. As part of London’s cycling community, we know Lime has a role to play. We are launching our ‘Respect the Red’ campaign to support safer cycling and drive behaviour change.
“We’re also working with councils to act on these findings - exploring how sharing route data could help target improvements and enforcement."
Tom Sleigh, chairman of the City of London Corporation planning and transportation committee, said: “Cycling in the City is booming – with a 70 per cent increase in just two years – and that’s something we welcome. But with that growth comes responsibility.
"Most people riding in the Square Mile are safe and respectful. But let’s be honest: red-light running by a minority puts everyone at risk. It’s not just illegal – it’s antisocial."
