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Tough curbs on rogue lorries entering London are to be fast-tracked following the recent spate of cyclist deaths.

HGV drivers entering London will face stiff penalties from as early as next March if their vehicles have not been fitted with side-guards and cycle-friendly convex mirrors.

London Councils — which represents the 33 London boroughs — said the crackdown could be delivered by tightening its licensing scheme, the London Lorry Control Scheme, which has 56,000 registered vehicles.

It complements the Mayor’s proposed £200 daily charge for rogue HGVs in London, but could be implemented much more quickly.

Under pressure to act over mounting fatalities, Boris Johnson today set out a timetable to improve cycle safety. Manadatory cycle lanes — bordered by a solid white line — will be enforced as strictly as bus lanes. Transport for London will take over the role from the Metropolitan police and also enforcement of “bike boxes” at junctions.

City Hall hopes to persuade the Department for Transport to allow the introduction of innovative safety measures on London’s streets, including more cycle-only traffic lights.

In a conference speech on cycling today, Mayor Boris Johnson will say: “I accept that people want to create pressure for action to get more Londoners cycling — but the risk is that the association of cycling with death may be doing the opposite. It may be scaring people away. I’m not saying we should stop talking about safety — but perhaps we need to be more careful in how we talk about it.”

Under the HGV safety plans published today, operators of non-compliant tipper trucks, skips and concrete mixers would face a £500 fine, with drivers facing a £130 penalty. Operators will have to prove compliance when they renew permits and spot checks will be carried out by a six-strong team.

Nick Lester, London Councils services corporate director, said: “We are anxious to do whatever we can, as quickly as possible, to reduce the risk of injuries and fatalities to cyclists from HGVs.”

The London Lorry Control Scheme licenses HGVs entering the capital at nights and weekends, but most of these vehicles also operate in the day.

However, Andrew Gilligan, the Mayor’s cycling commissioner, said: “The [London Councils] scheme will not cover vehicles under 18 tonnes, or those which only need to operate during the day, so other mechanisms such as the Mayor’s proposed Safer Lorry Charge or an outright ban on vehicles not fitted with the right equipment are also necessary.”

The Mayor has resisted calls for a ban on a morning rush hour ban on HGVs, which he believes would displace the risk and harm the economy.