On 12 August 2018 the Department for Transport announced a new consultation into whether proposed new offences of causing death or serious injury while cycling, equivalent to existing offences for drivers, should be introduced.
In response, Anita Konrad, National Director (England) at Sustrans, the cycling and walking charity said:
“The case for a new offence to tackle dangerous and careless cycling must remain proportional. In 2016, 448 pedestrians were killed on our roads but cyclists were only involved in three of these cases. Every death is a tragedy but we must remember that people on bikes are vulnerable road users, too. There is an urgent need to ensure that the justice system is able to deal appropriately with careless and deliberately dangerous behaviour by all road users. ”
The Government also announced:
£1 million in funding to support the pathfinder demonstration projects for repairing and upgrading sections of the National Cycle Network (NCN) updates to the Highway Code including measures to counter the practice of dangerous close passing of people on bikes commissioning the Cycle Proofing Working Group to develop national guidance and best practice for cycling and walking infrastructure.Commenting on the announcement, Konrad added:
“We are pleased that the Department for Transport has recognised the importance of the National Cycle Network by investing in supporting the demonstration projects. This is a critical first step in upgrading the NCN, which is vital for everyday journeys by foot and by bike, leisure and tourism. The Network will need continued support from Government and other partners to help bring all its parts up to a standard that ensures it is a resource for everyone.
“We also welcome proposed changes to the Highway Code on close passing. Close passing vehicles can be extremely frightening for people on bikes and can lead to accidents. We support measures that help reduce these risks to help give more people the confidence to get on a bike for short everyday journeys. Developing national guidance on cycling and walking infrastructure should also see the safety of all vulnerable road users improved.”
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For more information, interviews, case studies and photos contact:
Anna Galandzij, Senior Press Officer at Sustrans, 07557 915 648, anna.galandzij@sustrans.org.uk
Liv Denne, Press and Media Officer at Sustrans, 07768 035318, liv.denne@sustrans.org.uk
from News https://www.sustrans.org.uk/news/dft-consultation-cycling-safety-laws-our-response
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