Campaigners criticise plans for 'death by dangerous cycling' laws
Posted on in Cycles News , Political News
The national cycling charity, Cycling UK, says reports of plans to introduce new laws to tackle cycling offences would be merely ‘tinkering around the edges' of a full road safety review.
Ministers are set to create a new offence for death by dangerous cycling following the high-profile death of Kim Briggs, who was killed when knocked over by cyclist Charlie Alliston, in east London last year.
The new law would carry the same penalty as death by dangerous driving. But cycling campaigners have called instead for a full review of all road traffic offences.
Duncan Dollimore, Cycling UK's Head of Campaigns, said: "The way in which the justice system deals with mistakes, carelessness, recklessness and deliberately dangerous behaviour by all road users hasn't been fit for purpose for years.
"Adding one or two new offences specific to cyclists would just be tinkering around the edges, when what's needed is a full review of all road traffic offences and penalties, something the Government promised back in 2014 but have yet to deliver.
"If they're serious about addressing behaviour on our roads that puts others at risk they should grasp the opportunity to do the job properly, and conduct the holistic review that's long overdue, rather than attempt to patch up an area of legislation that's simply not working."
Labour MP Ian Austin, the former head of the parliamentary cycling group, told the Guardian: "Each death is a tragedy but what I and others have been calling for is a proper review of road safety and how the law is enforced when people are killed or injured because many more pedestrians and cyclists have been killed by people driving cars. They are a much greater danger to pedestrians and should be the focus of government resources."
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: "We are carrying out a review to improve all elements of cycle safety. This includes looking at the case for a new offence, equivalent to causing death or serious injury by careless or dangerous driving, to help protect both cyclists and pedestrians."