A Luton solicitor has been instrumental in an apparently successful attempt to change road safety laws.

Mark Wardrop, partner and head of litigation at Pictons in Luton, campaigned for the creation of a new offence of ‘causing death by dangerous or reckless cycling’ after acting for clients whose daughter was killed by being hit by a cyclist.

At present the maximum penalty for an offence of dangerous cycling is £2,200.

Wardrop lobbied his MP, Andrea Leadsom, on behalf of his clients.

She secured a ten minute rule bill last month which proposed that deaths caused by cyclists should be treated similarly to other road traffic deaths.

While such a procedure is normally used to highlight issues and does not result in legislation, transport minister Mike Penning has told Wardrop the proposed new offence will be included in a future transport bill, with other measures to update road traffic offences.