Man knocked off his bike is first to die on superhighway

A cyclist has become the first person to die in an accident on Boris Johnson's new cycle superhighway network.

The man, in his fifties, was knocked off his bike by a white tipper lorry as he went round the roundabout at the Bow flyover during the morning rush hour yesterday.

He was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the lorry stopped and was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving. He is currently in custody, the Metropolitan Police confirmed.

Green mayoral candidate Jenny Jones said: "Cycling superhighways are not super if you have failed to sort out the dangerous junctions."

A TfL spokesman said: "Safety is always our number one priority. Over the last year we have delivered initiatives like new roadside safety mirrors and awareness campaigns about the dangers of overtaking lorries, which is why we are also introducing a new 'on bike' training course for freight drivers in the capital, a new online HGV cycle safety guide and new 'cycle safe' technology for all TFL highway contractor vehicles by the end of the year."

There are four of the blue-painted priority lanes for cyclists in London, with eight others due to open by 2015.