Lorry company bosses have been banned from operating after failing to check an "insistently lawless" driver's licence before he caused the death of a cyclist.

Alan Drummond has been disqualified from holding an operator’s licence and Colin Drummond banned from working as a transport manager, both for an “indefinite period", following a ruling from Traffic Commissioner Nick Denton.

The ban follows the bosses' failure to check the background of Barry Meyer, who had previous drink-driving convictions and ran over the 55-year-old father-of-one, Alan Neve, in Holborn in July 2013.

Mr Denton's ruling said Alan Drummond didn't check Mr Meyer's license after he claimed to have forgotten it and “wrongly took on trust” that the license was valid.

Barry Meyer, 53, of Aubrey Road, Walthamstow, was jailed last month for three and a half years for causing the death of Mr Neve.

Meyer pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving, while two offences of driving while uninsured and unlicensed were placed on file.

In his sentencing remarks, Judge Daniel Worsley said the "insistently lawless" Meyer crushed Mr Neve with both the front and back wheels of the lorry, resulting in "almost instant death".

A London Cycling campaign spokeswoman welcomed the ruling but said it came too late for Alan Neve and his family.

She said: "The ruling represents a step forward from the days when Traffic Commissioners were criticised for only having weak powers, for not removing operating licences from companies with a poor safety record and for allowing drivers who have been banned for serious offences back on the road.

"Dangerous drivers, and dangerous vehicles make it almost impossible for even careful drivers to see cyclists or pedestrians near their vehicle, should never be on London's roads.

"Our streets are safer today with this driver in jail and banned from driving for the next ten years, and the company stripped of its licence – but this unlicensed, ‘lawless’ driver should never have been able to drive a 32 ton tipper lorry through Central London in rush hour in the first place."