Big Ben © Simon MacMichael
The national charity Cycling UK says that longer bans from driving should accompany government proposals unveiled at the weekend to introduce tougher prison sentences for motorists who kill or cause serious injury to other road users.
The national cycling charity has also repeated its call for a full review of all road traffic offences, and has urged the government to “lay out a clear commitment and timescale for its proposals to consider driver disqualifications.”
As we reported on Saturday, drivers who kill where there are aggravating circumstances, such as being drunk, speeding or using a handheld mobile phone at the wheel, may face life imprisonment under government plans.
> Drivers who kill now face life behind bars
But Cycling UK, which has the support of organisations including RoadPeace and RoSPA, points out that while in 2014 former secretary of state for justice Chris Grayling outlined plans for a full review of all road traffic offences, the consultation eventually launched in December 2016, only considered those resulting in serious injury or death.
The charity’s head of advocacy and campaigns, Duncan Dollimore, said: “Longer sentencing is not the only answer for drivers who kill.
“A mistake while driving is one of the few activities which can see an otherwise law-abiding citizen’s actions result in death or serious injury for a fellow road user.
“In such cases, custodial sentencing is not always the answer, but the use of longer and life driving bans are.”
He added: “Cycling UK is pleased to see government is considering driving bans as an option, but we urge them to make their commitment clearer and establish a clear timeline for consultation.”
Born in Scotland, Simon moved to London aged seven and now lives in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds with his miniature schnauzer, Elodie. He fell in love with cycling one Saturday morning in 1994 while living in Italy when Milan-San Remo went past his front door. A daily cycle commuter in London back before riding to work started to boom, he's been news editor at road.cc since 2009. Handily for work, he speaks French and Italian. He doesn't get to ride his Colnago as often as he'd like, and freely admits he's much more adept at cooking than fettling with bikes.