Hundreds of cyclists join ‘die-in’ outside TfL’s Palestra offices

The 'die-in' was organised in response to the recent deaths of six cyclists on London's roads during a two-week period.

The event began with a half-hour silent vigil after which participants were asked to lie down in the road with their bicycles.

During the rally which followed the 'die-in' a list of cyclists and pedestrians killed in traffic collisions on London roads in recent years was read out.

The roll-call – compiled by the RoadPeace charity – included victims of several SE1 collisions:

• Hichame Bouadimi, killed in St George's Road in 2012
• Ellie Carey, killed in Tower Bridge Road in 2011
• David Poblet, killed in Tanner Street in 2011
• Professor David Vilaseca, killed in Druid Street in 2010
• Haris Ahmed, killed in Weston Street in 2010
• Meryem Ozekman, killed at Elephant & Castle in 2009

At the end of the protest, organiser Donnachadh McCarthy met Transport for London's surface transport managing director Leon Daniels to hand over a list of demands, including a request for board-level representation for pedestrians and cyclists at TfL.

Andrew Gilligan, the Mayor of London's cycling commissioner, has responded to the 'die-in' on his City Hall blog.

McCarthy – a former Southwark Liberal Democrat councillor – has previously staged smaller-scale 'die-in' events to put pressure on Southwark Council to improve facilities for cyclists.

• Local Lib Dems are holding a Southwark Cycling Summit next month to which all local cyclists are invited.