London cyclists will be better lit at night as 4,000 Santander Cycles are to feature innovative Blaze Laserlights so riders can be confident that they can be seen more easily on the roads.

The lights, which display a symbol of a bicycle on the ground six metres in front of the bike, will be introduced to the entire fleet of 11,500 bikes over the next nine months.

The laser light lets drivers and pedestrians know a bike is approaching and makes them more visible, especially when they are in a vehicle's blind spot. They only come on when it is dark to save energy.

The roll-out follows a trial, which received excellent feedback in independent tests. In September 2015, 250 Santander Cycles were fitted with the technology. An on-street survey of cyclists riding them revealed that around threequarters felt more confident.

Almost half said they would be more likely to use Santander Cycles at night with the new lights fitted.

Mayor Sadiq Khan announced last month that TfL had signed a new five-year contract with Serco to maintain and distribute Santander Cycles. A next-generation Santander Cycle, built by Pashley Cycles, will be provided as part of that deal.

The new bikes will retain the popular features of the existing model but will be lighter and more manoeuvrable,and will all be fitted with Blaze Laserlights.

For more details on biking in London, visit tfl.gov.uk/cycling