Mirrors that reveal cyclists and pedestrians hidden in a lorry’s blind spot will be attached to traffic lights in an attempt to prevent hundreds of deaths and serious injuries.

The safety measure is being introduced in response to a surge in the number of collisions involving lorries turning left at junctions.

The mirrors give the driver a clear view of anyone just below the front of the cab or between the lorry and the kerb.

The idea is that drivers’ eyes will already be drawn to the traffic signal while waiting for a green light, so they will also see any cyclists or pedestrians reflected in the mirror bolted to the post.

Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, is seeking ways of improving cycle safety because of concerns that his campaign to quadruple the number of cycle trips between 2000 and 2025 could result in a big increase in accidents. The dangers were brought home to Mr Johnson last month when he and several of his officials narrowly avoided a collision with a lorry while out on their bikes inspecting cycling facilities.

Five cyclists have been killed by lorries in London this year. Of the 15 cyclists who died on the capital’s roads last year, nine were killed in collisions with lorries. In most cases the lorry was turning left and the driver failed to see the cyclist on their inside.

Road deaths have fallen by a fifth overall in London in the past decade but cycling deaths have risen slightly. Fatal collisions between cars and bikes, have fallen but deaths involving lorries have more than made up the difference.

Lorries accounted for 39 per cent of the cyclist deaths between 2000 and 2003, but 60 per cent last year and 100 per cent of those this year.

The number of trips by bicycle in London has more than doubled since 2000, to 545,000 a day.

The mirrors will initially be installed at junctions on the Mayor’s dozen cycling “superhighways”, the first two of which will open next May. The superhighways are intended to attract less-confident cyclists who have been worried about the danger of cycling round London. The routes will partly be on segregated cycle paths but each will have to cross dozens of junctions.

Transport for London is also considering painting green cycle lanes across junctions. Cycle lanes currently end at traffic lights and start again on the other side of the junction. TfL believes that drivers will become more aware of the possibility of cyclists crossing at a junction if they see green tracks and cycle symbols painted on the road.

Charlie Lloyd, cycling development officer at the London Cycling Campaign and a former HGV driver, welcomed the mirrors but said that it was also important to educate lorry drivers about coping with their blind spots. On most lorries, drivers could see into the blind spot simply by leaning forwards or backwards.

From September all HGV drivers will have to undertake 35 hours of refresher training every five years and the LCC wants awareness of the risks to cyclists to be included in the syllabus.

Roger Geffen, policy manager of the Cyclists’ Touring Club, said that the mirrors would help to save lives but extending cycle lanes across junctions could make cyclists feel under pressure to remain within them.

He said: “In slower-moving traffic it can be safer for cyclists to take their place in the traffic where they can be seen rather than staying to the side. Staying in a cycle lane could result in being overtaken by a driver who then cuts you up by turning left.”

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