Green Party Assembly Member Jenny Jones proposed a motion calling for an urgent review of junctions where some of the 16 cyclists to have have died on London’s streets lost their lives.
However the motion could not be discussed after a walkout by Tory AMs meant the meeting was no longer quorate, bringing an end of the Assembly’s business.
The walkout came after the Conservative group lost a vote on the mechanism for electing new chair of the Assembly’s new crime and policing panel.
Tory AMs are unhappy that their members have been elected to Chair fewer committees than the other parties despite being the largest group. Conservative leader James Cleverly has previously written about his group’s stance.
Speaking after today’s meeting broke up, Jones said Tory AMs “ought to be ashamed” and accused them of “playing games with people’s lives.”
She added: “I think the Tories walking out of the cycling motion does show embarrassment at the Mayor’s poor safety record and poor consultation record with cycling groups.”
Labour’s transport spokesperson Val Shawcross: said:”It’s shocking that due to the actions of some Assembly members we couldn’t even debate this issue, let alone vote for a review to take place, but this shouldn’t distract from the campaign to make London’s roads safer for cyclists.”
LibDem Mike Tuffrey, who was planning to amend the motion to “strengthen” it, said: “Today’s childish actions by Conservative Assembly Members have thwarted a key debate on cycle safety taking place.
“Their actions are an insult to every cyclist in London as well as the democratic process.”
In June Conservative members walked out of a meeting, blocking a debate on cycling safety at Blackfriars Bridge.
