Cameron forced to apologise after he's caught flouting traffic laws cycling to Commons

On the other hand, it is rarely an electoral help for the Leader of the Opposition to be suspected of breaking the law.

Not for the first time, the Conservative leader has found that his enthusiasm for cycling has its downside.

Yesterday he apologised for breaking a series of traffic laws on three separate days as he made his regular half-hour journey from his London home to work at the House of Commons.

It appears that Mr Cameron, in common with many urban cyclists every day, took a chance on riding the wrong way up a one-way street, going the wrong way around a keep left bollard and crossing the white line at a red traffic light.

He was also seen riding over a crossing for cyclists and pedestrians while the signal was red.

Mr Cameron, whose green credentials took a knock in 2006 when he was seen cycling to work followed by a chauffeur-driven car carrying his briefcase and shoes, said: "I know it is important to obey traffic laws - but I have obviously made mistakes on this occasion and I am sorry."

Kevin Clinton, of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said: "It is essential that all road users, including cyclists, obey traffic laws.

"The laws are there for everybody's safety and, as always, it is disappointing when someone in the public eye sets a bad example."

But Mr Cameron found a defender in Kevin Mayne, director of national cyclists' organisation CTC.

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"It shows what an ass cycling regulation and traffic management is in this country," he said. "We campaign for things like opening up one-way streets, which are allowed all over Europe.

"Mr Cameron is a yard in front of the white line in front of the Houses of Parliament - frankly, that's where I'd go to get away from the cars. He was hardly jumping the light."

He said the incident had also highlighted how confusing road signs could be for cyclists.

Tory candidate for London mayor, Boris Johnson, said: "I am a militant cyclist myself and I love cycling, but part of the deal has got to be that if we are going to expand cycling in London, we cyclists have got to obey the laws of the road."

A spokesman for road safety charity Brake said: "The rules are there to protect everybody - all road users, including motor vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists, have to stick to them.

"As a role model Mr Cameron must be aware that if he does break them, it is going to send out the wrong message to those he hopes to inspire."

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