The Government has today agreed to introduce new laws so cyclists who kill or seriously injure because of dangerous cycling, or who kill through careless cycling, face the same penalties as drivers and motorcyclists who do so.

Ministers have backed an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill, put forward by Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP, to introduce the ‘Offence of causing death by dangerous, careless or inconsiderate cycling, and causing serious injury by careless or inconsiderate cycling’.

The government will bring forward an updated amendment to the Bill as it enters the House of Lords where it will be further debated.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said:

“Most cyclists, like most drivers, are responsible and considerate. But it’s only right that the tiny minority who recklessly disregard others face the full weight of the law for doing so.

“Just like car drivers who flout the law, we are backing this legislation introducing new offences around dangerous cycling. These new measures will help protect law-abiding cyclists, pedestrians and other road users, whilst ensuring justice is done.

“I would like to thank Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP for bringing forward this amendment, and to all the campaigners who have tirelessly highlighted this issue – this is in recognition of their efforts in particular.”

Issued by Department for Transport, Wednesday May 15th 2024

This is all just voter pleasing.
Laws are already in place for anyone who kills or seriously injures a third party, either in a car, on a bike, in a pub or at work etc.

Nothing new being introduced that isn’t already covered. Lip service.

And by the way, drivers have been killing and seriously injuring thousands per year and not being penalised for it. So go figure.

Be careful what you wish for, it’s not always as it seems…

Can hear the cyclists quaking in their clip ins already.

Originally Posted by lawed143

This is all just voter pleasing.
Laws are already in place for anyone who kills or seriously injures a third party, either in a car, on a bike, in a pub or at work etc.

Nothing new being introduced that isn’t already covered. Lip service.

And by the way, drivers have been killing and seriously injuring thousands per year and not being penalised for it. So go figure.

Be careful what you wish for, it’s not always as it seems…

The laws are needed, in the same way that the laws for causing death by dangerous driving and death by careless driving were needed. (And updated in 2022 to allow life imprisonment, up from 14 years maximum)

There were several cases which caused public outrage due to lenient sentences where the laws at the time weren’t fit for purpose and Judges were limited on the sentence they could apply.

A few weeks ago a cyclist knocked down and killed a pedestrian in Regents Park, but was not prosecuted as there was no current law relating to this.

(As for it being a vote pleaser, the process was started following an incident in 2016, following the death of a pedestrian where the Judge in the case pointed out the laws ‘needed to be addressed’

Originally Posted by Sap33

The laws are needed, in the same way that the laws for causing death by dangerous driving and death by careless driving were needed. (And updated in 2022 to allow life imprisonment, up from 14 years maximum)

There were several cases which caused public outrage due to lenient sentences where the laws at the time weren’t fit for purpose and Judges were limited on the sentence they could apply.

A few weeks ago a cyclist knocked down and killed a pedestrian in Regents Park, but was not prosecuted as there was no current law relating to this.

(As for it being a vote pleaser, the process was started following an incident in 2016, following the death of a pedestrian where the Judge in the case pointed out the laws ‘needed to be addressed’

The laws are already there but they are not being enforced, all laws from the most trivial up need to enforced or you end up in the situation we now see of serious situations being ignored, the wringing of hands and shaking of heads is useless.
Most of the problems of enforcement belong to the cuts and to rectify the situation there will need to be significant investment in both manpower, technology and prisons.

Originally Posted by Alikado

The laws are already there but they are not being enforced, all laws from the most trivial up need to enforced or you end up in the situation we now see of serious situations being ignored, the wringing of hands and shaking of heads is useless.
Most of the problems of enforcement belong to the cuts and to rectify the situation there will need to be significant investment in both manpower, technology and prisons.

Quite correct.
Our prisons are full at the moment - court cases are being deferred as a resulting prison sentence cannot be accommodated.

Also, here is the specific legislation that already applies

The Road Traffic Act 1988 contains multiple rules that apply to cyclists, including the specific offence "Dangerous cycling".
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/section/28
Originally called "reckless cycling", it was updated to "dangerous" in 1991:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1991/40/section/7

Maybe the law will also prsoecute motorists for passing too close to a cyclist, knocking a cyclist off, parking on a cycle lane, parking in an advance stop box?
If cyclists have to go around in day glow yellow why are cars not painted in day glow yellow?

Originally Posted by lawed143

Quite correct.
Our prisons are full at the moment - court cases are being deferred as a resulting prison sentence cannot be accommodated.

Also, here is the specific legislation that already applies

The Road Traffic Act 1988 contains multiple rules that apply to cyclists, including the specific offence "Dangerous cycling".
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/section/28
Originally called "reckless cycling", it was updated to "dangerous" in 1991:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1991/40/section/7

The penalty for dangerous cycling is a fine of up to £2500, which is why the new laws have been proposed!

I hope this driver goes to prison for life for this tragic case that occurred last night…..

https://x.com/bbcnews/status/1791019...ZU_XxrBa6BHpXA

Originally Posted by Sap33

The penalty for dangerous cycling is a fine of up to £2500, which is why the new laws have been proposed!

Dangerous cycling doesn’t necessarily lead to the death of a third party. Are you claiming new laws are required to imprison cyclists just for the act of dangerous cycling.? So those same new laws should apply to drivers too…..

If anyone causes the death of someone else, regardless of the cause, they already face stiff penalties under existing laws.

Originally Posted by lawed143

I hope this driver goes to prison for life for this tragic case that occurred last night…..

So very young.....A young child also got killed in not dissimilar circumstances, over in Burscough several years ago by someone driving (I believe they were reversing) out of Firwood's big shed/hangar.

Originally Posted by lawed143

Dangerous cycling doesn’t necessarily lead to the death of a third party. Are you claiming new laws are required to imprison cyclists just for the act of dangerous cycling.? So those same new laws should apply to drivers too…..

If anyone causes the death of someone else, regardless of the cause, they already face stiff penalties under existing laws.

You’re right, dangerous cycling doesn’t necessarily lead to death and the older laws deal with that, HOWEVER, on the rare occasion when it does happen, there is a new law needed to address this!

These new laws don’t need to apply to drivers too because there is already an offence of causing death by dangerous driving (brought in to address the fact that people were being killed by dangerous drivers, who could only be charged with dangerous driving and attracting a lenient sentence).

By the other laws, I’m guessing you’re meaning things like Murder and Manslaughter? Unfortunately where there was death involving dangerous driving, the law’s didn’t allow for this, hence new legislation.

Originally Posted by mickldore

Maybe the law will also prsoecute motorists for passing too close to a cyclist, knocking a cyclist off, parking on a cycle lane, parking in an advance stop box?
If cyclists have to go around in day glow yellow why are cars not painted in day glow yellow?

Those laws exist, there was a recent thread involving someone being charged for passing dangerously close to a cyclist.

Originally Posted by lawed143

I hope this driver goes to prison for life for this tragic case that occurred last night…..

https://x.com/bbcnews/status/1791019...ZU_XxrBa6BHpXA

If the driver has been driving dangerously, I hope so too!

(Looking at various online news sources, the only mention is that the driver was unhurt, with no mention of an arrest)

[QUOTE=Sap33;6904362]If the driver has been driving dangerously, I hope so too!

(Looking at various online news sources, the only mention is that the driver was unhurt, with no mention of an arrest)[/QUOTE]

That’s totally irrelevant to two of motoring hating fraternity on here.