Government

Labour MP calls for tougher e-bike laws on “battery safety, speeding and enforcement”

Comments come as Home Office confirms plans for police to have stricter e-scooter powers, MP Tom Hayes telling the government the e-bike "situation is unsafe"

Chinese bikes to US down 17% ahead of Trump tariffs, but global exports rise as China Bicycle Association highlights European growth

Global exports rise 15.5% in first quarter of 2025, after Chinese bicycle production reached 99.54 million in 2024, but US exports down 17 per cent in Q1

Life imprisonment for riders who kill pedestrians under ‘dangerous cycling’ law “unlikely to improve road safety”, claims expert

The road safety expert also called for a “greater focus” on “conventional collisions” between drivers and pedestrians, as opposed to the “tiny fraction” of offences caused by cyclists

“Leaving children unprotected”: Trump tariffs on cycle helmets spark safety concerns, as trade group calls for cycling industry exemption amid warnings of “devastating” closures and lay-offs

“The current tariffs will have devastating impacts on our industry if not adjusted in the near term,” PeopleForBikes said in an open letter they plan to send to the US president

“No plans” to save free-to-air Tour de France coverage, as fan behind dismissed petition asks: “Does the government truly care about growing cycling?”

Responding to a petition calling for the Tour to be made a ‘Category A’ sporting event in the UK, the government said it “recognises concerns” but noted that broadcasting rights are “ultimately a commercial decision”

Cyclists who kill pedestrians could face life sentences under proposed new ‘dangerous cycling’ law

The Department for Transport says its amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill will “ensure that the tiny minority who recklessly disregard others face the full force of the law”

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People used bikes less frequently in 2024 than previous year, with fewer women and children cycling along with lack of funding described as “concerning” by campaigners

Latest Department for Transport data shows number of bike journeys decreased in 2024, however, cycling distance went up by 9%, while average walking and car trips also saw an increase

“People find helmets unpleasant”: Dutch government launches ‘Put It On’ campaign urging cyclists to wear helmets as serious cycling injuries continue to rise – but activists say scheme “distracts from real issues”

The campaign aims to encourage a quarter of the Netherlands’ cyclists to opt for helmets within ten years, though critics say it could lead to cycling being associated with danger, claiming clamping down on speeding, dangerous drivers is key instead

Council U-turn over “ridiculous” bike ban at recycling centre, after litter-picking cyclist told he needs a car to drop off rubbish

"The world's gone mad!": Litter-picking cyclist told he can only visit recycling centre in a vehicle, but council quickly backtracks

Nigel Farage lashes out at “cycle lanes that no one uses”, accusing councils facing bankruptcy of wasting “tens of millions” on cycling infrastructure

The Reform UK leader also singled out “huge departments of people dealing with climate change” as one of the reasons for many councils’ depleted funds, ahead of the 2025 local elections

“This is bigger than pro cycling”: Fan petitions government to save free-to-air Tour de France coverage in UK, condemning paywall as “massive missed opportunity” to boost cycling numbers and combat congestion

The petition, launched this week, urges the government to make the Tour a ‘Category A’ sporting event, ensuring it remains free to air like the Olympics, Wimbledon, and the FIFA World Cup

Welsh Labour government to prioritise walking projects over cycle lanes, as cycling campaigners fear “missed opportunity”

Concerns come after Welsh government accused of "deeply disingenuous" move "using drop in casualties on 20mph roads to justify cutting back on active travel infrastructure"

TNT Sports subscription hiked AGAIN to £37 a month due to latest Trump tariff announcement

*April Fool!* The president announced today that any TV pixels entering the US would be subject to a 20% tariff, causing other nations to put retaliatory levies on American media companies in the latest blow for pro cycling coverage

MPs call for “urgent reform” of Cycle to Work scheme to tackle active travel inequality

The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Cycling and Walking has also urged the government to clamp down on pavement parking and remove discriminatory access barriers on bike paths, highlighting “systemic underinvestment” in active travel

“A huge setback for active travel”: Non-foldable e-bikes to be banned from most Transport for London services to “ensure safety of customers and staff”

TfL said the ban will stay in place “until improved product safety measures are in place” with fines of up to £1,000 for cyclists failing to comply, after Tube unions had urged it to impose the ban after some cases of e-bikes catching fire

UCI president David Lappartient vows to stand up to Donald Trump in pitch for top Olympic job

Making his move for International Olympic Committee presidency, Lappartient pledged to make Trump "respect" IOC autonomy on issues such as trans athletes and promised decisions would not be made "from an ideological angle"

Police sergeant tells cyclist he broke law by not riding in cycle lane after reporting close pass driver – but Irish government insists vast majority of bike paths are not compulsory

The sergeant mistakenly claimed that the compulsory use of bike lanes had been widened, prompting the government to clarify that the law was only changed to allow electric mopeds and scooters to use cycling infrastructure

MP calls for mandatory bell law for cyclists “to warn pedestrians”, as Iain Duncan Smith renews ‘dangerous cycling’ law campaign and claims e-bikes are causing “major danger”

The Labour government says it is “certainly looking at” the former Conservative leader’s proposals to introduce cycling tougher laws, after an amendment featuring the changes was shelved due to last year’s general election

Sports Minister dismisses Tory MP’s concerns that £30.99 a month TNT subscription will lead to cycling “disappearing behind paywall” in Westminster Hall debate, saying “it’s not for the government to intervene”

“The cycling boom that formed part of the London 2012 legacy is now in danger of being dropped by the peloton,” MP Ben Obese-Jecty said in the debate, further highlighting the demise of Eurosport as a “hammer blow for cycling coverage in the UK”

Motorists’ group brands council “snowflakes” as cycle lane meeting cancelled, despite police advising councillors not to attend over safety fears

BCP and Dorset Motorists claims to be treated like "an extremist organisation", but councillors cite group's "widespread" Facebook "disinformation" and police "advice" for cancellation of Question Time-style bike lane meeting

“Trump singled me out for ruining women’s sport”: Transgender cyclist accuses president of “fixating hate” on trans athletes instead of working to “elevate, fund or support women athletes”

While announcing his Keeping Men Out of Women's Sport executive order, Trump commented on Austin Killips' victories in the US as "a male cyclist posing as a woman" and "obliterating records"

“They’re so bad”: Donald Trump promises to scrap “dangerous” New York bike lanes and “kill” congestion charge

President claims "no one's coming to the city" because of congestion pricing, poor "safety and cleanliness in the subway" and "electric bikes at 20mph whacking people"

Sacked health minister hoped cyclist asking for more cycle lanes would be “mown down by an HGV” in “disgraceful” WhatsApp messages

Active travel campaigners "appalled" and suggest Labour politician Andrew Gwynne's comments "speak volumes about the contempt some politicians have for road violence".

Cyclists “don’t contribute to town” and “already have all its roads to cycle on”, claim businesses as controversial bike ban eased in “short-term tactical move to appease cyclists”

Cycling UK, however, pointed out that there is “limited dedicated cycle infrastructure” in Maidenhead and Windsor, while arguing cycling leads to increased trade and that bike bans “wrongly treat all cycling as anti-social behaviour”

20mph speed limit “single most significant change we’ve ever seen,” says Cycling UK as data reveals 100 fewer people killed or seriously injured on Welsh roads since change – but Conservatives slam “confusion and frustration for drivers”

The charity said the Welsh government’s latest figures are “proof that slower speeds save lives”, and called on the rest of the UK to implement default 20mph limit

Welsh government could cut cycle lane funding to fix roads, as councillor calls for active travel budget to be diverted in area dubbed ‘Pothole Land’

A recent audit showed that almost half of Wrexham’s active travel routes were deemed “critical failures”, but Wales’ transport secretary has told councillors that funding could be reinvested in pothole repairs

Big on congestion, Lidl on cycling: Plans for new supermarket on “death trap” road rejected due to fears extra traffic could compromise “abandoned” bike network

“To abandon the very idea of getting a cycle lane there, and for what? To get a slightly bigger Lidl, closing down a slightly smaller one”

Controversial cycling ban to be eased to “cut congestion” – less than a year after council claimed restrictions had “wide support”

The orders prohibiting cycling at all times on Maidenhead’s High Street could now be amended to a 10am-5pm ban to “promote active travel and safe cycling”, despite being renewed by the council in April last year

Brompton CEO warns chancellor removing tariffs on Chinese bikes could “kill” folding bicycle brand

Profits at Brompton plummeted by over 99% in 2024, the bike brand's chief now warning that removing tariffs would flood the UK market with "sophisticated, well-organised and well-resourced" Chinese competitors

Road tax for cyclists? Switzerland considers taxing cyclists to fund bike lanes, as politician asks: “Are we going to charge children too?”

The tax, currently being weighed up by the Swiss roads authority, could comprise a physical or digital tax disc for cyclists, an annual fee, or a surcharge while purchasing a bike. But campaigners say “absurd” proposal “pits motorists against cyclists”