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MP urges that cyclists should have registration plates – but the government’s answer is likely to remain the same

Department for Transport has consistently said there are no plans to force riders to display number plates

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.”

> "Dangerous" cyclists "entirely unaccountable" and should have number plates, argues former Met Police chief

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.

 

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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68 comments

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hawkinspeter | 1 month ago
13 likes

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?

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chrisonabike replied to hawkinspeter | 1 month ago
10 likes

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.

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ooldbaker replied to hawkinspeter | 1 month ago
19 likes

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.

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pockstone replied to ooldbaker | 1 month ago
12 likes

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.

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ktache replied to pockstone | 1 month ago
3 likes

Bit dark...

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pockstone replied to ktache | 1 month ago
1 like

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-v...

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brooksby replied to pockstone | 1 month ago
4 likes

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"?

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marmotte27 replied to brooksby | 1 month ago
1 like

I'd add an "unfortunately" before "I do know"

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pockstone replied to brooksby | 1 month ago
5 likes

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.

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stonojnr replied to pockstone | 1 month ago
0 likes

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.

 

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pockstone replied to stonojnr | 1 month ago
6 likes

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.

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Eton Rifle replied to brooksby | 1 month ago
4 likes

Bunter did it deliberately. The fat clown craves attention.

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Rendel Harris replied to Eton Rifle | 1 month ago
2 likes

Eton Rifle wrote:

Bunter did it deliberately. The fat clown craves attention.

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.

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srchar replied to Rendel Harris | 1 month ago
0 likes

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.

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Rendel Harris replied to srchar | 1 month ago
3 likes

srchar wrote:

Not sure why people are affronted - it's an after dinner speech, not a statement outside number 10.

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?

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srchar replied to Rendel Harris | 1 month ago
0 likes

Rendel Harris wrote:

srchar wrote:

Not sure why people are affronted - it's an after dinner speech, not a statement outside number 10.

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?

Disagree. An after dinner speech isn't a statement to the house; it's entertainment, an act. I think some theatre is perfectly acceptable.

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Rendel Harris replied to srchar | 1 month ago
2 likes

srchar 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.

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.

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chrisonabike replied to Rendel Harris | 1 month ago
0 likes

Should be...

Noting Regan, former actor; Churchill (another former journalist with history books to sell who wasn't noted for loyalty to a party) ...

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Rendel Harris replied to chrisonabike | 1 month ago
1 like

chrisonabike wrote:

Should be...

Noting Regan, former actor; Churchill (another former journalist with history books to sell who wasn't noted for loyalty to a party) ...

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?).

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chrisonabike replied to Rendel Harris | 1 month ago
1 like

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.

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pockstone replied to chrisonabike | 1 month ago
3 likes

There'll only ever be one 'Regan'.

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Ladywriter replied to pockstone | 1 month ago
0 likes

Yer nicked !!!

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Samtheeagle replied to pockstone | 1 month ago
1 like

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").  

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Samtheeagle replied to hawkinspeter | 1 month ago
0 likes

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?  

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hawkinspeter replied to Samtheeagle | 1 month ago
1 like

Samtheeagle wrote:

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?  

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.

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60kg lean keen ... | 1 month ago
17 likes

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!

 

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Sriracha replied to 60kg lean keen climbing machine | 1 month ago
17 likes

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.

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eburtthebike replied to 60kg lean keen climbing machine | 1 month ago
1 like

60kg lean keen climbing machine wrote:

Less than six months to go, not long now!

Six months too long.

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ymm | 1 month ago
22 likes

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.

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the little onion | 1 month ago
23 likes

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

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