Cycling group ‘Cycling UK’ have begun a campaign to highlight the dangers posed by car drivers and passengers opening their doors into the paths of cyclists – and are calling for greater punishments for those who do commit the ‘car-dooring’ offence.

The cycling group say that figures released to them by the Department for Transport show 2009 cyclists were injured in so-called ‘car-dooring’ between 2011 and 2015, including five fatalities.

They add: “Cycling UK believes that these figures are not fully representative of the scale of the problem, as not all car dooring incidents will be attended by the police” and have written to transport minister Jesse Norman MP to urge for action to be taken over the problem.

Cycling UK want to see a law-change that would establish the new offence of causing ‘death or serious injury through negligently opening a car door’. Car-dooring is already a crime, but can currently only be punished with a maximum fine of £1000.

There have been numerous occasions in the past few years when cyclists have been car-doored and thrust into other vehicles, or nearly so, as in the video below, which was filmed outside of the UK.