In what, given past responses on the issue, one might consider to be a waste of Parliamentary time, an MP has once again raised the issue in the House of Commons of whether cyclists should be made to display registration plates on their bicycles.
It’s a question that gets put to transport ministers time and time again, and on each occasion the response is that there are no plans to do so.
The latest appeal on the subject comes from the Conservative MP for Shipley, Sir Philip Davies, who in a written question to Secretary of State for Transport, Mark Harper, said: “People have been saying to me that there have been incidents of anti-social behaviour involving cyclists and there is no way of tracking those that cause problems or flout the laws of the road.
“They have suggested that if cyclists were forced to have a registration plate it would mean they were identifiable and could resolve the problem as those who chose to cycle in an irresponsible manner would know there will be consequences,” added Davies, as reported by the Telegraph & Argus.
In a House of Lords debate last year, Lord Brendan Hogan-Hall, former Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service, claimed that especially in London, bike riders “seem to be entirely unaccountable.”
He said: “Having a registration plate somewhere on the back would not be a bad idea to make sure that people are held to account and it is not totally without consequences if they choose to ignore things that are meant to keep us all safe.”
In response, the DfT said it had no plans to require cyclists to display registration plates.
A spokesperson said: “Like all road users, people cycling have a duty to behave in a safe and responsible way.
“The Department has no plans to introduce registration plates for cyclists, as the cost and complexity of this would greatly outweigh the benefits,” the spokesperson added.
68 thoughts on “MP urges that cyclists should have registration plates – but the government’s answer is likely to remain the same”
Philip fucking Davies! Tosser
Philip fucking Davies! Tosser!
Perhaps a tad rude , but
Perhaps a tad rude , but concise !
Perhaps, but he is my MP and
Perhaps, but he is my MP and I know of what I speak.
Brevity being the soul of wit, I kept it short.
Accurate too!
Accurate too!
pockstone wrote:
Perhaps, but my MP is a bigger tosser than yours: Mark Harper.
eburtthebike wrote:
I can beat both of you: I’ve got Liam Fox
Technically, Mr Philip Davies
Technically, Mr Philip Davies is a GBNews presenter who occasionally moonlights as a member of parliament. His GBNews salary is bigger than his MP salary
Hopefully he won’t be working
Hopefully he won’t be working as an MP in a few months. he might even lose his job at GB News too given how it’s losing money hand over fist. What a shame….
Did you know that the largest
Did you know that the largest advertiser on GBeeBees news is the Conservative Party? So they will probably soon be loosing one of their main advertising revenue streams too. What a shame.
Thise vehicles that already
Thise vehicles that already have registration plates are not held to account when they choose to ignore rules etc. Lets get that right first shall we. Unfortunately, a typical case of an out of touch Tory with nothing left to contribute other than attempts at division and acts of desperation, and significantly lacking in common sense to boot.
It doesn’t matter who many
It doesn’t matter who many times this brand of politician is told its a “bad idea – not workable” they will never be able to drop it, they still believe that with all the evidence apparent, that brexit is a good idea, it justs need to implemented properly, or that Liz Trust was a good prime minister just thwarted by lefty elites. They are locked into an alternative reality that somehow it’s not them or their mindset that’s broken, it is all ways someone else that is at fault for the mess. There is no hope for them, all we can do is sit tight and wait till the levers of power will (I hope) eventually swing and we can put these people out to grass and leave them to their own delusions and conspiracy theories. Less than six months to go, not long now!
I think you’re missing the
I think you’re missing the motivation of these people. It’s nothing to do with how workable or right the proposal is. For them it is entirely about gratifying their urge to “force cyclists” to submit – what to is almost irrelevant. I fear it is a very similar instinct to that which motivates punishment passes etc.
60kg lean keen climbing
— 60kg lean keen climbing machineSix months too long.
So, the Tory Death Cultilsts
So, the Tory Death Cultists want to put a barrier in place to dissuade some people from cycling. Is that because they want more people to die from heart disease and sedentary lifestyles?
Just vice signalling. A
Just vice signalling. A touchstone for some of their “base” because “fairness” and accountability – for people we see as “not us” and an unloved stereotype.
Or maybe just something to chat about on the show?
Plus there’s zero chance of it involving effort (political work, negotiation etc) or backfiring in practice as it’s almost certainly never going to happen.
Is that because they want
Is that because they want more people to die from heart disease
In the case of Philip Davis MP. I think the answer is yes. He once talked for ages to defeat a bill that would have taught cardiiac massage to children in school (as practiced in other countries sucessfully).
https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/14095746.shipley-mp-philip-davies-defends-latest-filibustering-criticism-after-52-minute-speech-by-saying-it-takes-as-long-as-it-takes/
It would be justice if someone did the same to his scheme.
It would be justice if he had
It would be justice if he had a massive coronary on a school visit and a whole class full of kids looked on without a clue what to do.
Bit dark…
Bit dark…
The law of unintended
The law of unintended consequences applies even to the likes of PD MP.
See also Tom Hunt getting caught out by Voter ID laws that he himself voted for in Parliament. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/may/03/tory-mps-voter-id-rules-rishi-sunak-boris-johnson-local-elections
And Johnson – can you imagine
And Johnson – can you imagine the utter satisfaction of getting to say to him “Yes, I do know who you are, but you still need to show me a valid form of ID”?
I’d add an “unfortunately”
I’d add an “unfortunately” before “I do know”
At least Johnson held his
At least Johnson held his hands up ( A first time for everything!) and returned with ID. Hunt blamed his dyspraxia for not being able to find his passport -without a seconds thought for all his fellow sufferers, possibly similarly disenfranchised without the benefit of a local Toiry party machine to run around at his behest and vote on his behalf.
to be disenfranchised means
to be disenfranchised means not having the right to vote or having that right taken away, it doesnt mean if you cant remember where your passport so you cant present photo id your right to vote has been taken away, as happened with Tom, he got a proxy to vote for him, so he still voted.
Not sure what your point is,
Not sure what your point is, beyond a pedantic hairsplitting over the difference between ‘being disenfranchised’ and ‘being not allowed to cast your vote’.
Before the recent voter ID legislation any dyspraxic person (Including Tom Hunt) who couldn’t lay their hands on a narrow range of photo ID could walk into a polling station and cast their vote. After said legislation…not so much.
As for the proxy vote, I turned up without ID last year and at no point did the polling clerk (nor I suspect, in similar instances elsewhere, did any of the so called ‘greeters’ employed at other polling stations) suggest that I could get any Tom, Dick or Harry to vote on my behalf by proxy without the hassle of cycling home to dig out my driving license. Subtle and underhand disenfranchisement is still disenfranchisement, however you may want to quibble about semantics and definitions. Prior to the legislation my franchise was not conditional on having proof of identity. After the legislation it was. If, for whatever reason, that proof was not available the effect of the legislation is to disenfranchise me every bit as much as if the voting age had been increased to 99.
Bunter did it deliberately.
Bunter did it deliberately. The fat clown craves attention.
Eton Rifle wrote:
It’s well documented by people who have had the misfortune to sit near him at dinners where he’s speaking that he has his speeches written out with gaffes, moments of pretending to forget what he’s saying, dithering etc carefully written in to his notes, so yes, undoubtedy just another carefully staged “loveable [sic] old Boris, isn’t he one of us” moments.
Having been to two dinners
Having been to two dinners with a BoJo speech, can confirm that he arrived late and dishevelled on both occasions, grabbed a napkin and hurriedly wrote some notes at one of the tables, then delivered exactly the same speech. I have to say, it was bloody funny the first time. Not sure why people are affronted – it’s an after dinner speech, not a statement outside number 10.
srchar wrote:
It’s still interesting proof of what an absolute fraud the man is; people who are dishonest in one area are rather more likely to be so in other, more important ones, don’t you think?
Rendel Harris wrote:
Disagree. An after dinner speech isn’t a statement to the house; it’s entertainment, an act. I think some theatre is perfectly acceptable.
srchar wrote:
The leader of a great nation should not be an entertainer or actor but a statesperson with some degree of appreciation of the gravitas of their position. If Johnson had changed his act when he gained important offices of state that might be different, but he didn’t and showed no respect for his position or those whom he was supposedly serving.
Should be…
Should be…
Noting Regan, former actor; Churchill (another former journalist with history books to sell who wasn’t noted for loyalty to a party) …
chrisonabike wrote:
Neither of those great favourites of mine but I don’t think one can say they lacked gravitas, or distinctly lowered the standards of public discourse, in the way the blond blob has. They both behaved appropriately once they achieved office unlike Johnson who seemed to revel in being a muppet even on the most inappropriate stages (remember the “giant robot chickens” speech to the UN?).
Can’t disagree there. OTOH
Can’t disagree there. OTOH there were clearly others ready to pile in after him who don’t even have the wit to pull off a buffoon act.
Given the existence of Trump and various others embracing a fact-free style I’d simply say that he was the kind of man whose time had unfortunately come. Let’s hope he looks even more inappropriate in the near future.
There’ll only ever be one
There’ll only ever be one ‘Regan’.
Yer nicked !!!
Yer nicked !!!
This is a great article.
This is a great article. Misses the point that the real heroes are the Poll Clerks and Presiding Officers. Working for a little over basic wage and a 16 hour day, in a freezing cold village hall, and risking being verbally abused by an entitled resident (who has in my one experience turned up at 9.50pm with their father’s passport and hasn’t appreciated your jovial quip of “im sorry madam but i cant agree that that is a good likeness”).
There is an economic theory
There is an economic theory that an unhealthy population relaint on health intervention and drugs whilst buying cars and using fuels support a particular form of economy that benefits those providing vehicles, fuels, medical interventions and pharmaceuticals. If policy moves people to a healthier, less car/fuel reliant population who looses out?
Samtheeagle wrote:
That’s a variant on the “broken window fallacy” – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable_of_the_broken_window
Ulitmately, when people don’t have to spend money on healthcare, cars and fuel, then they have more money to spend on other things e.g. N+1 bikes and squirrel paraphenalia.
Of course, the people fixing windows or selling oil or cars or heart medications would lose out, but that money would go on more productive things whilst also allowing people to have a higher standard of living.
Registration numbers have
Registration numbers have abjectly failed to curb anti social behaviour of motorists , much of which police fail to deal with when given evidence .
Weekend anti social behaviour at closing time ot at football matches of course would be stopped if all humans wore a Tabard with their details . Burglary , assault , vandalism , fraud – all would cease . Rainbows would fill the sky and golden unicorns would trott down the streets
Quote:
They’re just control freaks and bullies, these are the freedoms they want for you.
Do they not realise that the
Do they not realise that the people they have in mind (most likely teens in ballys riding illegal ebikes) won’t have licence plates even if it did become a legal requirement to do so. They already flaut the law anyway.
There is potentially a case
There is potentially a case for e-bikes to have registration plates. This might help the police identify the illegal ones more easily.
There is an e-motorbike in my town that I have seen several times now that is used by a delivery rider. It has a panel for number plate but there is no plate on there. The first time I saw it i bumped into two coppers a few metres away and asked them to investigate but was told “Yes it is a problem but unfortunately there’s nothing much we can do” to which I answered “You can confiscate it” and the reply was “okay we’ll go have a look” although obviously nothing was done as I’ve seen it since.
However, the same issue exists – it would discourage people from getting e-bikes and cycling. And the Police can’t be relied upon do any enforcement of anything.
I know, it’s shocking how
I know, it’s shocking how underfunded the police are.
don simon fbpe wrote:
So they say. Plenty of officers to investigate hate speech on Twitter though.
Pub bike wrote:
That would be punishing legal riders for the sins of the illegal ones, wouldn’t it? Rather like saying that if we had compulsory ID cards it would be easier for the police to find illegal immigrants, the inconvenience for the majority would far outweigh any supposed benefits for law enforcement. Really the police should be able to spot illegal electric motorcycles perfectly easily as it is, they are the ones with the dinnerplate motors on the back that are doing 25 mph+ on the flat. They don’t bother pinching them because they don’t have the time and the resources (or they just don’t give a stuff about the law in this area, which is a possible alternative), not because they can’t identify which ones are illegal.
The ones causing issues are
The ones causing issues are usually motorbkes or mopeds not e-bikes (not a term I ever use because it is unclear).
The laws ecist to address the issue; it is a matter of regulation, policing priority and enforcement.
Mark Harper and his cronies are trying to create and weaponise a wedge issue to save their butts; this will go nowhere until the current generation of senior Conservative are placed in the dustbin of history, where they can go and f*ck themselves forever.
(Speaking as a former conservative party member.)
There does seem to be this
There does seem to be this acceptance that electric powered bikes, even those that are basically an electrified Vespa, can be ridden illegally, without plates and, one assumes, insurance, by delivery riders.
Acceptance (or indifference)
Acceptance (or indifference) which seems to start at the top – and apathy about tackling the supply and sale of these. True – there’s always someone else to point at – trading standards (if only they were funded…), the police stopping riders, delivery riders (but who could take on the “risk outsourcing” swindle of the big food delivery companies, if they felt it was important…?), yoof – and ultimately the public for buying.
There was even the idea that this (consideration of e-scooters at least) would be the warm-up exercise for the Road Safety Investigation Branch. Apparently now sunk without trace.
Is it that the flip side of “bikes aren’t ‘transport’ ” – except for the very poor / kids – and thus beneath regulation? Is it a general political understanding that meddling in “the market” is to be avoided – except for the really big stuff or those rare cases where public go nuts about something?
MPs, please engage with
MPs, please engage with reality, as I’m sure you’re actually meant to.
You cant expect MPs to pay
You cant expect MPs to pay attention. He probably thought his suggestion was the first time anyone had thought of bicycle registration.
He never really expected
He never really expected anything different, he’s just building up his CV in advance of the GE (look how many questions I have aske of ministers!).
Really? No one ever borrows
Really? No one ever borrows a bike? Licence 10 year-olds? 12 year-olds? Anyone think that anti-social (or any) cyclists would comply? How about when a bike is bought or sold?
Next: he’ll want license
Next: he’ll want license plates on pedestrians.
No, just pedestrian crossing
No, just pedestrian crossing
bricksflags. If it saves onedriver the inconvenience of denting their bumper and having to wash the bonnetlife…I have noticed that is
I have noticed that is increasingly common for certain drivers to remove their front number plate and either place on inside the car on the dash (where it isn’t really visible), or not even to bother with one at all. Then there’s the dubious 4D plates that are greyed out on the front to obscure the numbers. If drivers routinely get away with this then how the hell do MPs like this expect it to work for bikes?
If drivers routinely get
If drivers routinely get away with this then how the hell do MPs like this expect it to work for bikes?
You’re forgetting the increasing tendency for the police to seek approval from the Tory hyper-junk press by declaring ‘tough on cycling and tough on the causes of cycling’ while simultaneously ignoring and excusing indisputable offences by drivers on the grounds that ‘everybody does it’. No shortage of illegal plates, vehicles without MOT etc. etc. in Lancashire, especially on toffs’ vehicles
https://upride.cc/incident/k7ddy_audia4_redlightpass/
Lots of drivers round my way
Lots of drivers round my way remove the reg plates from their cars so they can drive through the LTN sections of road. Quite a few have plates stuck on with velcro. It did occur to me that sneaking out at night and removing the plates of repeat offenders I recognise and then binning them might be rather droll, though given the number of CCTV systems around it might be rather risky.
The chance to vote these
The chance to vote these corrupt fools out of power can’t come soon enough.
The problem is, there is a
The problem is, there is a whole other party also full of corrupt fools waiting to take their place.
Not much of a choice is it?
Not much of a choice is it? We know how bad the tories are, and can only hope that labour won’t be quite as profoundly awful.
It’s Bernard Hogan-Howe, and
It’s Bernard Hogan-Howe, and he was outstandingly awful as a Commissioner….nothing changed there then.
If anyone argues we should
If anyone argues we should have cycle “registration” to help catch errant cyclists…
Ask them if registration has prevented/caught these vehicle users who have had expired MOTs and VED for months, if not years…
RV66 DKU, no MOT and VED for over 2 YEARS.
L333 CTB and PO60 OLV.
All seen being driven/parked badly in the last 2 months.
Not forgetting the close pass I had a couple of years ago.
The Met police issued an NIP only to find the plates were cloned.
So despite wanting to go after the close pass AND then finding the driver was using cloned plates, the police gave up on it.
RV66 DKU, no MOT and VED for
RV66 DKU, no MOT and VED for over 2 YEARS
Pfff! That’s nowt for Lancashire- there are loads worse than that. I could have used WU59 UMH- previously no MOT for 6 1/2 years. Now no VED for 6 1/2 years, but let’s have some variety. HY66 ZZB has had no VED for almost 5 years and is regularly seen around Garstang on ‘traffic management’ jobs. First reported in 2022. This is it today- I recognised it immediately and switched on the camera- no time for GPS acquisition
Is it worth reporting to the
Is it worth reporting to the local councillor to ask if they can have a word with the police?
At least then, if nothing usefull happens, two parties in authority (police and council) will be shown up for not doing their job.
The police say VED is nothing
The police say VED is nothing to do with them, and it’s definitely nothing to do with the council!
I’d have thought that if the
I’d have thought that if the DVLA were not doing anything then the council could do something to put pressure on them (DVLA).
Otherwise the council is admitting to being happy for this to continue.
Despite my efforts, I think
Despite my efforts, I think many people do not understand how any law relating to traffic has been abandoned in Lancashire!
https://upride.cc/incident/px12dnd_stagecoach42_closepass/
Completely ignored by the police
I’ll give you WU59 UMH anyway
I’ll give you WU59 UMH anyway- after his usual sojourn at the pub. The police station is just next to that other, half-timbered white, pub down the road