A cyclist from Swindon, who was knocked off his bike by a van that came out of a side turning and knocked him off when he was in a cycle lane, has received more than £4,000 in compensation.

The man was cycling down Evelyn Street, Swindon on his way to work, when a van joined the street from a side road. The van driver swung out and, failing to pay attention, hit the cyclist side on, throwing him off his bike.

The 50-year-old was left with mild concussion and bruising to his left thigh, leg and elbow. His bike was damaged beyond repair. An ambulance was called to the scene. The man, a member of the University and College Union (UCU), didn’t need immediate hospital treatment but had a course of physiotherapy to ensure his injuries properly healed.

The man contacted his trade union, the UCU, who put him in touch with Thompsons Solicitors to investigate a claim for compensation. Thompsons went on to secure £4,326 in compensation for the member.

He said: “The horrible thought I have is that if the van had been travelling any faster I could have died. Drivers have a responsibility to check the roads and be aware of other road users, and this individual failed to do that.

“I have bought a new bike and fortunately I am confident enough to cycle on the roads again.”

UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: “This is yet another example of the real dangers that cyclists face everyday up and down the country from careless drivers. The consequences could have been so much worse, but thankfully the only long term damage was to our member’s bike and, temporarily, his health and his confidence.”

Joanne Atkinson, from Thompsons Solicitors, said: “This case really is a wakeup call to drivers everywhere to be more careful and aware of all road users. The individual responsible for this collision failed to follow the most basic rules of The Highway Code and the consequence was another dangerous yet avoidable road accident.”