Baroness bicycle basher

In the grand tradition of political handbaggings, Lady Sharples swung her bag and delivered the errant rider a sharp blow.

Today, the 84-year-old peer recalled the incident and said she wished she had hit him harder.

She has spoken out in Parliament about the encounter, sparking fresh calls for the Government and Mayor Ken Livingstone to consider forcing cyclists to put registration plates on their bikes.

Former publican Lady Sharples voiced the anger of many pedestrians who feel they face a growing threat from so-called rogue cyclists. She urged cycling groups to do more to encourage courteous behaviour on the roads.

Recalling the incident outside the Lords, shortly before Christmas, she said: "I had a bag and I swiped him. I did not hit him hard enough." She said she had been endangered by cyclists three times recently on the capital's streets.

"They are a ruddy nuisance," she said. "I know they need to get to work and a lot of them behave properly, but there are an increasing number that just don't obey the lights and it's not fair on pedestrians."

The peer, whose first husband Sir Richard Sharples, former Tory MP for Sutton and Cheam, was assassinated while serving as Governor of Bermuda in 1973, floated the idea of cyclists needing a licence but is concerned that such a lawmay not be workable. "It's up to cycling organisations - they should tell their members," she said. "Laws have got to be good. If they don't work they are worse than useless."

Men were a particular threat, she said, adding: "Women do, in general, stop at the lights when they see somebody crossing."

The baroness was concerned that she may have put herself at risk of being sued by the cyclist after lashing out at him.

But, surprisingly, the Government's transport spokesman Lord Bassam, backed her action, saying that she "probably did the right thing".

Mr Livingstone has floated the idea of introducing a registration plate system for bikes which would make it easier to identify cyclists riding dangerously. Backbench Tory MP Mark Pritchard urged ministers to investigate plates for bikes to curb accidents involving cyclists.

He said: "The Government needs to investigate ways which make it easier to identify cyclists who break the law. One possibility to be investigated could be to have a Swiss-style number plate system for bikes. Cyclist etiquette would improve if they could no longer remain anonymous."

Mr Livingstone has sought to clamp down on dangerous cyclists, with police issuing £60-on-the-spot fines for riding on pavements or jumping lights.

Last year, the number of cyclists killed or seriously injured on London's roads rose from 340 to 372, with deaths increasing from eight to 21. At least 300,000 people cycle in the capital every day.