A lot of the hate that gets thrown at cyclists (mostly by car drivers) is unfair, but the UK’s two-wheeled pedallers certainly aren’t perfect. And now the government is putting in place a brand new set of rules to keep cyclists on the straight and narrow. Ten new road offences are being introduced for bike riders on British roads.
Right now there is guidance for cyclists in the UK but this isn’t enshrined in law. The new move will update the Road Traffic Offender Act (RTOA) of 1988, meaning that those who breach the guidance will be subject to fines or education courses, similarly to drivers who speed or drive without an MOT.
The 10 new offences added to the act include ‘cycling on a road dangerously’ and ‘using a pedal cycle without lights between sunset and sunrise’.
To determine what should be included in the bill, the government heard from various groups including the police, local councils, and cycle training program Bikeability. The Home Office announcement says that the proposal ‘will not produce an undue focus on cycling offences’, but not everyone agrees.
A representative from the London Cycling Campaign told Metro: ‘While the police and justice system being handed equivalent powers to enforce the law against errant cyclists as they do motorists seems sensible on the surface, the reality is that these laws should not have been the priority for action if what we want to do is tackle danger on our roads.’
Despite the backlash, it is expected that these changes will be made to the RTOA within the coming weeks. The complete list of new offences by cyclists being brought into law is as follows:
10 new road offences being introduced for cyclists in the UK
- Failure to comply with any direction given by a constable or by a notice exhibited by order of the Secretary of State regarding the use of a pedal cycle in a Royal Park or other specified land. Not listening to a member of the police, park staff, or a public notice, when cycling in public or specific privately owned land.
- Using a pedal cycle in manner that endangers or is likely to endanger any person in a Royal Park or other specified land. This could include, but is not limited to, going too fast near pedestrians, against the flow of foot traffic, or somewhere without a clear path for cycling in a public area or specific privately owned land
- Using a vehicle or pedal cycle between sunset and sunrise, or in seriously reduced visibility between sunrise and sunset, with no lights in a Royal Park or other specified land. Cycling without working lights in hours of darkness in public.
- Failure to stop at a school crossing patrol. Not stopping at a zebra or other obvious crossing near a school
- Cyclist holding on to a vehicle while in motion on a road for the purpose of being drawn along. Holding a car, van, lorry, bus etc while riding on a bike as a propeller.
- Cycling on a road dangerously. This one is more broad, but is defined as any cycling which ‘falls far below what would be expected’ of a competent cyclist. This could be, but is not limited to, going too fast, or too slow, on a road, being very unsteady, or swerving erratically.
- Cycling on a road without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for other persons using the road. This is again more vague but is defined as cycling ‘without due care and attention, or without reasonable consideration for other persons using the road’. This could look like not paying attention to your surroundings or not signalling at turns.
- Using a pedal cycle without lights between sunset and sunrise. Cycling without working lights in hours of darkness
- Using lamps so as to cause undue dazzle or discomfort to other persons using the road. Using lights which are too bright and could distract or cause dismay to other road users. This also pertains to cars and other motor vehicles.
- Using a non-motor vehicle with any lamp so as to cause undue dazzle or discomfort. As above, but specifically not causing discomfort to those in a car/van/bus etc.
UK travel with Time Out
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