• AS a resident of Royal College Street, I was very concerned to hear of the recent hit and run incident involving Abdul Hadi (‘Help us find hit-and-run driver’ plea, January 18).

We can only hope he makes a good recovery and the driver is swiftly brought to justice.

Unfortunately road traffic collisions are becoming too prevalent in London, with many commentators reporting a rapid decline in road traffic safety over the past year.

On January 19 a white vehicle overtook me on Royal College Street between the electricity generating station and the Prince Albert pub, and then pulled sharply left without warning onto the clearly marked, permanent (solid white line) cycle lane.

Thankfully I was only riding at 10mph and managed to stop before hitting the side of the vehicle. I had flashing lights, fluorescent backpack cover and helmet, and full reflectors.

The driver was holding a mobile phone and started swearing/shouting when politely challenged as to why they were driving without due care and attention.

As former Metropolitan police investigator Peter Kirkham openly stated during an interview on Sky News following the knife murders of four young men in London on New Year’s Eve: “Theresa May has cut the police service, so there are no longer police officers on the street, and the control of public space has been lost.

“Deaths on the road are rising because traffic police are going… Anti-social behaviour is getting out of control again… there are no neighbourhood officers… the moped crime epidemic”.

He squarely laid the blame on Theresa May and her cuts to the police during nearly eight years as home secretary and prime minister, and her repeated refusal to listen to professional police officers.

As an experienced cyclist with over 20 years of commuting in London, I have witnessed a massive increase in dangerous and criminal behaviour over the past year. Unfortunately it may take the death of a prominent politician’s son or daughter to kick-start any political change?

ROB COLE
NW1