From the cab - a HGV drivers view

The desire is to increase cyclist safety and therefore cyclist numbers, therefore cyclist safety....you get the idea, it is self perpetuating to a degree. Licencing is not the answer.

I understand this, but at the moment there is not a large enough number of cyclists in London to warrant any significant safety benefits, as it does in say, Copenhagen.
I also think that because we are sharing the same space, the cyclist/vehicle interaction at the moment is awkward and conflicting, partly because a large number of cyclists are not aware of how to properly ride within it. Without addressing this, I can't see how adding yet more cyclists to the equation is going to make things any safer. Unless of course we can reach the point where there are so many of us, cyclists are considered an equal presence on the road.