The incoming leader of Greenwich Council has called on Sadiq Khan for an urgent meeting following the recent deaths of two cyclists on roads in the borough.

The first of the two deaths happened in Romney Road on May 9, when a 46-year-old cyclist was airlifted to hospital where he later died.

The second happened last week at a junction by the TfL-controlled Woolwich Road roundabout, near to the Blackwall Tunnel.

Police said a 37-year-old man died at the scene following a crash with a lorry.

Campaigners and councillors have criticised the road for being notoriously dangerous for cyclists, especially in the wake of the Silvertown Tunnel announcement.

It comes as campaign group Stop Killing Cyclists plan a ‘die-in’ protest and vigil outside Woolwich Town hall on June 7.

The group says the protest is to pressure TfL and the Mayor of London to introduce CCTV for trucks, and for Greenwich Council to “drop outrageous opposition to the early extension of the CS4, a cycle superhighway to Woolwich.”

The council has firmly denied it is against the highway, and has said that cycle safety is a matter of urgency.

A spokesman said: “It is completely untrue to claim the Royal Borough of Greenwich opposes CS4. The council has consistently backed the delivery of the full Cycle Superhighway 4 route from Tower Bridge to Woolwich and continues to lobby TfL to ensure delivery of the full route as swiftly as possible.

“Our thoughts are with the friends, families and everyone affected by both of these tragic incidents. Once the police investigations are complete we will be looking to identify any shorter term measures that could be implemented to reduce road safety issues.

“The leader of the council has already written to the office of the Mayor of London requesting an urgent meeting to examine what measures we can implement to improve cycle safety now.”

Cllr Danny Thorpe is set to be formally announced as leader at a meeting on Wednesday, May 23.

Nigel Hardy, head of programme sponsorship for surface transport at TfL, added: "Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the two men who sadly died after collisions with HGVs while cycling in Greenwich.

"We are assisting the police as they investigate the circumstances and we will work closely with Greenwich council on our plans for a new cycle route between Greenwich and Woolwich.”

Matt Browne, Greenwich Green Party secretary, said it was time the council installed segregated cycleways, and for the Mayor to back the extension of CS4.

He said: “Greenwich has one of the lowest cycle rates in all of London and it’s because of lethal roads like the Woolwich Roundabout which is TfL managed.

“That entire stretch of road needs to be torn down and rebuilt with cyclists and walkers in mind and it needs to be done now before the Silvertown Tunnel opens and we get flooded by even more traffic including heavy lorries which the Blackwall tunnel doesn’t currently allow through.”

A spokesman for the Mayor said: "As outlined in our Strategic Cycle Network we have ambitions to make the route between Greenwich and Woolwich Road safer for cyclists, and we will continue to work with council – who are responsible for the road - to make this a reality."

The Mayor's office also confirmed a meeting was being orgaisned to discuss issues in the borough, includinging cycle safety. 

Councillors Stephen Brain and Chris Lloyd questioned why more had not been negotiated from TfL in light of the Silvertown agreement for road safety measures at a scrutiny meeting on May 10.

Cllr Brain, who called the agreement in to get it renegotiated, was told road safety and environmental mitigation is “desirable, not essential”, and not appropriate to be woven into the Government’s main agreement.

Cllr Lloyd suggested the council’s deal with TfL was an opportunity to legally bind them into making improvements to roads that have been neglected.

Tim Jackson, the council’s transport officer, told councillors TfL could still be forced to make improvements through a separate monitoring group made up of other boroughs.