Woman cycles through red lights at busy junction with three children riding on back

A woman has been filmed cycling through red lights at a busy junction with three children riding on the back.

The footage has sparked a heated debate on social media over whether she put the youngsters at risk.

The incident which took place at the junction of Sloane Avenue and Brompton Road in Chelsea and was posted online yesterday, shows the cyclist proceeding through a red light as pedestrians began crossing the road.

The woman, who was not wearing a helmet, had three young girls seated behind her, two of whom were wearing school boaters with only the child at the rear wearing any head protection.

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In the first clip, the cyclist can be seen approaching a pedestrian crossing on Sloane Avenue with a red light visible ahead and pedestrians already stepping onto the road, the Daily Mail reports.

She proceeds through the junction without looking left, narrowly avoiding a motorcyclist approaching from the right before raising her hand to slow a large white van on her left.

The van driver brakes as she turns right onto Brompton Road.

A second clip shows the same cyclist approaching the nearby junction between Brompton Road and Thurloe Place, where she edges over the stop line while the lights are at red before the signal changes to amber.

The footage, shared on X, drew widespread criticism from social media users who described the cyclist's behaviour as "incredibly irresponsible" and "disgraceful."

One user wrote: "You can see the crossing vehicles. This was just a stupid decision."

Another said: "Always thought kids on any of those types of bike were dangerous.

“Even if you are really careful what's stopping a vehicle hitting you — it's not worth risking the children's welfare."

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Under the Highway Code and Transport for London guidelines, cyclists are required to stop at red lights and allow pedestrians to cross at junctions before proceeding.

Failure to comply with a red light can result in a £50 fixed penalty fine.

There is no legal requirement in the UK to wear a cycling helmet, but the Highway Code strongly recommends wearing one that is correctly fitted and securely fastened, noting that evidence suggests a helmet "will reduce your risk of sustaining a head injury in certain circumstances”.

The incident has emerged at a particularly concerning time for cyclist safety in the capital.

New figures from Transport for London show the number of cyclist fatalities and serious injuries in London in 2025 jumped by 20.3 per cent compared to 2024, reaching a record high not seen since 2017.

The sharp rise in casualties has prompted renewed calls for greater enforcement of road safety rules for all road users, including cyclists.

The junction where the incident took place is one of the busiest in west London, with high volumes of vehicle and pedestrian traffic throughout the day.

The woman in the footage has not been publicly identified, with appeals for anyone who recognises her to come forward.

The incident highlights growing concerns about the safety of cargo-style bikes and child carriers on busy urban roads, particularly at junctions with heavy traffic.

Witnesses to the incident have not yet come forward publicly, and police have not confirmed whether any action has been taken.

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