Number of cyclists prosecuted for ignoring road signs has doubled since 2010

More cyclists are being prosecuted for not adhering to road rules according to figures released after a debate in the House of Lords.

According to the figures on the Telegraph website, convictions rose from 52 in 2010 to 125 in 2014, as disclosed in a letter correspondence between transport minister Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon to Lord Hughes of Woodside.

More cyclists were also convicted of 'careless driving', while convictions for riding on the pavement reportedly remained similar in the 2014 statistics - the last year that figures were available.

In the debate in the House of Lords, it was suggested that cyclists should be forced to carry identification with them so that they can't escape penalty notices.

Lord Wills said that cyclists were 'terrorising pedestrians' and called for 'law and order' to be brought to the pavements.

Lord Taverne defended cyclists by saying: “The serious injuries caused by cyclists must pale into insignificance when compared to those caused by motorists.

Adding: “After all, bicycles are the most efficient machine yet invented for turning energy into motion. Indeed, the bicycle has been accurately described as a kind of green car, which can run on tap water and tea cakes and, moreover, has a built-in gym.”