First 'Boris bike' death: Cyclist dies after lorry crash

20-year old woman is first person to die while riding hire bike introduced by London mayor in 2010

20-year old woman dies in the first fatality involving a “Boris Bike” since they were launched by the Mayor of London Boris Johnson in 2010 (Getty Images)

A 20-year-old woman has died in the first fatality involving a “Boris Bike” since they were launched by the Mayor of London Boris Johnson in 2010.

The woman was killed in a collision with a lorry on Whitechapel High Street in east London last night.

The London Ambulance Service was called to the scene at 18.30pm and the victim was taken to Royal London Hospital where she was later pronounced dead. Her next of kin have yet to be informed.

The lorry driver stopped at the scene and no arrests have been made.

Leon Daniels, TfL’s managing director of surface transport, said: “Our thoughts go out to the friends and family of the female cyclist who tragically died... following a collision with a heavy goods vehicle on Whitechapel High Street. We understand she was riding a Barclays Cycle Hire bike.

“TfL has a range of measures already under way to further reduce the number of collisions involving cyclists across London and we will be assisting the Metropolitan Police with their investigation into this tragic incident.”

Traffic officers are appealing for witnesses to the collision, which occurred just before 6.20pm. Officers from the road death investigation unit at Chadwell Heath traffic garage are probing the circumstances of the incident.

The accident is thought to have happened on Cycle Superhighway 2 outside Aldgate East underground station. In 2011, two cyclists died while using the route – both following collisions with lorries.

The Barclays cycle routes run from outer London to the centre and are designed to provide "safer, faster and more direct journeys into the city”.