Ellie Carey cycle death: Father attacks London Assembly

The father of a London cyclist who was killed on Friday has said politicians should be "ashamed" of themselves for not making cycle safety a priority.

He has criticised the London Assembly after a meeting was abandoned before cycling issues could be discussed.

Tory members walked out over a separate political row involving the way Assembly seats have been allocated.

But Allister Carey, whose daughter Ellie died in a crash in Bermondsey, said it was "pretty disgraceful".

Miss Carey, 22, died in a collision involving a lorry in Abbey Street.

She became the 16th cyclist to have been killed on the roads in London in 2011.

The issue of cycle safety was due to be discussed on Wednesday, but the walkout took place before this could happen.

Mr Carey said he found it "very disappointing and hard to understand why - if you like - petty political bickering should stop the debate on safety for cyclists taking place".

Image caption, Allister Carey says London Assembly members' decision to leave a meeting was "disgraceful"

He said: "It's pretty disgraceful and those who are responsible should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves."

Green Party assembly member Jenny Jones said she considered the Conservatives' behaviour "very childish".

"I thought it meant we couldn't discuss an incredibly important topic," she added.

But James Cleverly, who represents the Conservative group, said: "We don't do this lightly."

He stressed the decision to leave the room was "absolutely not about the cycling", and said that as someone who commuted regularly by bike, he took the issue "very, very seriously".