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Grant Shapps: Cyclists should have number plates, be insured and subject to speed limits

Transport Secretary pledges tougher rules on bike riders as part of current legal review

17/08/22, 11:52: Read our update to this story here: Confusion as Grant Shapps now says he is "not attracted to bureaucracy" of number plates for cyclists

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has said that cyclists should be insured, carry licence plates on their bikes, and be subject to the same speed limits as motorists.

The Tory cabinet minister told the Mail that putting such measures in place would be considered as part of the current review that may see a causing death by dangerous cycling law introduced.

It’s less than a fortnight since Shapps, who was appointed Secretary of State for Transport by Boris Johnson in July 2019, outlined his plans to the Mail for that legislation – but his position set out in the same newspaper this evening, and said to have the support of Whitehall officials, goes way beyond that.

> Government to crack down on “reckless” riders with causing death by dangerous cycling law

This evening Shapps, who risks losing his cabinet post once Conservative leadership contenders Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak puts their cabinet together next month, insisted cyclists should be subject to the same laws as motorists – including abiding by speed limits, being insured, and carrying identifiable registration plates.

In particular, he is said to be concerned about cyclists riding at speeds above 20mph, which he claims they can “easily exceed” – even though the speed of e-bikes legal for road use, for instance, is capped at 15.5mph, and the vast majority of people riding bicycles would never approach such a speed on flat roads, nor are bikes required to be fitted with speedometers.

He told the newspaper: “Somewhere where cyclists are actually not breaking the law is when they speed, and that cannot be right, so I absolutely propose extending speed limit restrictions to cyclists.

“Particularly where you’ve got 20mph limits on increasing numbers of roads, cyclists can easily exceed those, so I want to make speed limits apply to cyclists.

“That obviously does then lead you into the question of ‘well, how are you going to recognise the cyclist, do you need registration plates and insurance and that sort of thing’.

“So I’m proposing there should be a review of insurance and how you actually track cyclists who do break the laws.”

Requiring cyclists to carry some form of identification, such as a numbered tabard – suggested by motoring lawyer Nick Freeman, also quoted in the Mail’s article – is seen by some as an answer to the perceived problem of the minority of cyclists who ride recklessly, including jumping red lights.

But advocates of such schemes – which where they have been implemented, tend to be ditched quickly because of the cost of administering them, plus the fact they discourage cycling and the health and other benefits associated with it – tend to ignore the greater harm that law-breaking motorists, in vehicles that already carry registration plates, can do.

Nevertheless, Shapps continued: “I don’t want to stop people from getting on their bike, it’s a fantastic way to travel, we’ve seen a big explosion of cycling during Covid and since, I think it has lots of health benefits.

“But I see no reason why cyclists should break the road laws, why they should speed, why they should bust red lights and be able to get away with it and I think we do have to not turn a blind eye to that and I’m proposing setting up a review to do exactly that,” he added.

Most adult cyclists do in fact have liability insurance, whether under their household insurance policy or bike insurance, or through membership of organisations such as British Cycling or Cycling UK.

As the law stands at the moment, they are not required to carry third party insurance – unlike motorists, who are obliged by law to have that as a minimum, although that has not prevented an estimated million or more drivers taking to British roads without such cover.

The Mail also claimed that cyclists found guilty of killing a pedestrian face a maximum of two years in jail, which is incorrect.

True, that is the maximum jail term that can be imposed on someone found guilty of causing bodily harm through wanton or furious driving under the Offences Against The Person Act 1861.

But in two high-profile cases in the past five years in which cyclists were convicted of that offence following the death of a pedestrian, they were also acquitted of manslaughter – which carries a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.

By contrast, causing death by dangerous driving has a maximum jail term of 14 years – although since June this year, it has been increased to life if the motorist was under the influence of drink or drugs.

According to a report last year from the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety, just one in 100 crashes in 2019 that resulted in the death of a pedestrian was due to a cyclist – compared to 65 in which a driver was to blame.

In July, when he resigned as Conservative Party leader, thereby putting in motion the battle not only for who would succeed him to that post, but also as Prime Minister, we asked whether Boris Johnson’s departure would be a blow for active travel, including cycling.

> Boris Johnson resignation: A blow for active travel?

Neither Truss – his likely successor – nor Sunak are known as huge supporters of walking and cycling, and it could well be that Shapps’ comments tonight, which some might interpret as a dog-whistle to party members, could be an attempt to curry favour with the next Prime Minister and ensure he stays in post.

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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125 comments

Avatar
tigersnapper | 1 year ago
10 likes

Mostly unenforcable and impractical.  This is purely a bluster piece for the readership of the red tops.  Trying to save his job under a new leader.

Avatar
Argos74 | 1 year ago
13 likes

Option 1: He's throwing rats to the zombies who post in the DM comments section. Civil Servants will tactfully point that it's a bit rubbish in value for money terms, will require lots of legislation and an increase in the Civil Service headcount when they're trying to reduce it by 91,000, also burn and replace all the EU legislation, asking is this really the best use of Departmental resources in the current situation, and it'll quietly get shelved once Psycho Clown replaces Rubbish Clown.

Option 2: and I'm not ruling this out. He might actually be serious. Psycho Clown let's Useless Poodle off the leash to try to attack cyclists and cycling. Next steps.

* Widespread disobedience, assuming it makes it through against rising groundswell of popular opinion, the House of Lords and if secondary legislation is used to shoehorn it through, judicial review.

* A shedload of public protest, say, at or around the venue of the the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham on 2-5 October. Involving lots of cyclists. Possibly elsewhere as well. Heck, everywhere.

* Getting politically active. Maybe not for any particular party, just to get the cold creepy hands of the Conservative Party off the levers of power. I've also got issues with the other parties – starting with Starmer’s hair – but the other parties aren't coming after my bikes. Tactical voting and vote-swapping. Providing support to local political organisations and campaigning.

 

Avatar
yupiteru | 1 year ago
15 likes

This story is just one of many distraction techniques incompetent Governments use to get people talking about something other than the important issues that they seem incapable of dealing with.

It works of course, just like when they talk about blue passports, pint glasses, Peppa pig, blame the French, bridge over the Irish sea, blame the migrants, etc, etc, the list is endless of the complete and utter nonsense they have spouted over the years.

The Tories have announced plans to axe up to 91,000 civil servants over three years, so who exactly will be administering all this legislation?

Who will enforce any changes? Under the Tories, 21,000 police officers have been axed from England and wales alone.

It is all nonsense and will not happen, merley announced to distract and pander to the Daily Mail morons.

Avatar
mattw | 1 year ago
8 likes

As a positive from this sorry story, I don't think I have ever seen Cycling UK publicising that most home insurance policies provide 3rd Party Cover for riding bikes.

Time for an email.

Avatar
John Be | 1 year ago
4 likes

I recall that Reg Harris was fined for exceeding a 30 MPH speed limit in the 50's. I  would be surprised if the law that made that possible has been rescinded, and feel sure it would apply also to 20 MPH limits.

Equally,  I would have thought that antisocial cycling is covered by existing legislation. I don't see any cyclist number plates in the Netherlands. 

Grant Shapp's (Michael Greene's) proposals are OTT. What next, licences for skiing, rock climbing? Running!!!

Avatar
mattw | 1 year ago
4 likes

I have wondered how the generally step-forward changes to the Highway Code made it past Shapps, given that he has been MoT since 2019.

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ubercurmudgeon | 1 year ago
10 likes

Phase 1: Blame everything on foreigners.

Phase 2: Blame internal minorities, like cyclists.

It has been clear that this was the playbook since 2016.

Avatar
Northumber_lad | 1 year ago
16 likes

Ah, registration plates on bikes - how I've missed this discussion (not!). 
I am a road cyclist who was seriously injured last year when I was mown down by a (non-speeding) car driven by blind pensioner.  I also happen to be a Police Officer so I thought I'd give my twopenneth opinion here.  (If you hate the police just scroll past and save the abuse for Twitter and Facebook thank you).  
In order for the government to understand the subject it's important to look at WHO cycles:

 There are leisure cyclists like me, typical mamil's who ride for fitness and a hobby and who drive to work every day.
There are commuter cyclists, dodging the often dangerous traffic in cities. 
There's the tracksuit brigade who ride bikes two sizes too small. 
Then there are children. 
 

I could stereotype all of the above really, but I'm guessing most leisure cyclists and commuters will have some form of insurance. I do, but a lot of people won't or can't afford it. 
 

from my experience the people most likely to get hit on a bike are the adults riding in cities and towns. The most likely cyclists to HIT someone else or cause an RTC are the tracksuit brigade followed by children as these people either mostly ride on the pavement or at night with dark clothing or both. 
so we introduce number plates, compulsory insurance and speedometers. If you bring in a penalty for bikes speeding, it follows in law that a person must be able to know what speed they are doing in the first place. 
where will the speedometer go? Who will calibrate it? How will it be seen in the dark? How will it be powered ? 
take our tracksuited hooded friends - if they can't or won't pay for bike lights or take any form of safety precautions who is going to force them to do that and more?

The running of red lights can be any cyclist but is much more likely to be a commuter followed by a leisure cyclist. The fact they may have insurance is fairly irrelevant unless ot goes on to cause an RTC  

Then we come to children. Kids love bikes. How on earth are we going to insure children, their bikes and ensure they follow the laws of the road when they by definition aren't mature enough to commit crime until the age of 10, and can't do most things legally until the age of 18  ?

 

it's just another knee-jerk, words for votes, I'm with you too sort of moment. I just wish politicians had the guts to say it's too difficult so we're not doing it, and we'll do cycling proficiency at school again like we used to in the 70's  

 

Avatar
Hicksi | 1 year ago
8 likes

Reported today, an elderly man stabbed to death driving his mobility scooter in West London...don't Tories have anything more serious to deal with? Has Grant Shapps ever had an IQ test?

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Dnnnnnn | 1 year ago
1 like

Bring back hanging!

Avatar
Rick_Rude | 1 year ago
6 likes

How have we got to this? I can remember back to when MPs at least had to be a step above your idiot boss (or seemed that way) in the intellect standings and used to resign from time to time. Now we have utter trash level people on all sides of government, doling out trash level proposals. This is clearly just petty personal views being attempted to be passed into legislation or something more sinister. 

The last thing cycling needs is more failed government layers of control. It's one of the few freedoms left in this soon to rationed and monitored world. 

Once they've come for the cyclists then they'll come for the pedestrians. 

Avatar
Muddy Ford | 1 year ago
6 likes

Politicians are required to reveal all sources of income and benefits to reassure us that they are not rigged. Of course they do. It's about time that all newspapers and journalists also had to reveal their sources of income and benefits, given the influence over how the public think and vote. None of us will be surprised to learn that the motor and oil industry provide the most significant bungs to these toilet rolls but it will be useful to know just how much a particular company (say VW) fund the Mail when they purport to support green energy etc. I would choose not to buy anything from any company that's keeping the Mail going, it's not readership subscriptions that's for sure.  

Avatar
RobD | 1 year ago
5 likes

I assume the zero tolerance approach to speeding and red light jumping for cars is going to come into effect at the same time? After all, they already have registration plates so it should be easy, and if speeding is something they really want to tackle then black box technology has been available for cars for ages, it could be implemented for everyone who drives.

Avatar
Hirsute | 1 year ago
8 likes

Let's say this all came in and I racked up 12 points.

Could I

a) claim hardship

b) be disqualified

c) just take the wife's bike

d) anyone's bike

e) just nick another plate

f) get a cloned plate

 

Avatar
Jimmy Ray Will | 1 year ago
4 likes

Mindful that this release is most likely the chap playing to the masses and putting a case forward for continuing in his current position, could this actually be a massive home goal for Shapps?

These proposals will get significant support from the masses, however the reality is that the implementation of such legislation is impractical to say the least. It realistically can't be done without huge public spending, and digging into it, the returns would be negligable. So it won't happen... again.

The reasons why are well publicised and Shapps even refers to some of these himself, so what is the point of putting all this back out into the public domain? 

The last thing the government want is to be seen to be unable to take action on such popular legislation... will the potential egg on the face make Shapps more or less employable? I say less.

 

Avatar
Geoffish | 1 year ago
4 likes

Typical distraction tactics by the government.
But surely if they wanted to look like they were cracking down on dangerous cyclists they could pledge to enforce all the ilegal electric bikes on the streets at the moment? 
Not sure what other readers think, but better enforcement of suped up electric bikes that the riders don't have to pedal whilst going uphill would surely appease the masses but also make things actually safer? 

Avatar
giff77 | 1 year ago
2 likes

If this ludicrous idea is driven through (see what I did there). Then every individual who cycles or owns a bicycle should refuse to register their bikes or apply for a licence. As these are traffic offences then a day in court is required rather than a FPN because we can't decriminalise these particular offences. 

The whole justice system will then collapse under the strain of processing 20 million plus people and our esteemed Mr Shapps will be frantically back pedalling to the point of speeding (did it again) in order to bin his rush of air. 

Avatar
Nick Price | 1 year ago
2 likes

I believe that cyclist should have insurance, I got mine with British Cycling, it's only £44 a year, also I think cyclist should wear a helmet and lights and should adhere to the road and it's safety etc but license plates are a stupid idea!!!

Avatar
brooksby | 1 year ago
1 like

One of the tabloids today has another Shapps story:

https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/19553048/school-run-self-driving-cars/

Quote:

Ministers want to allow cars, coaches and lorries with self-driving features to be sold in Britain within months — and used on motorways from 2025.

They will then consult on introducing them to all roads.

Quote:

Ministers are dishing out £100million to fund research on how to make it as safe as possible and help industry prepare.

Scientists are keen to learn how the new tech will cope in rain and snow and interact with other cars, people and cyclists.

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to Argos74 | 1 year ago
8 likes

Argos74 wrote:

Option 1: He's throwing rats to the zombies who post in the DM comments section. Civil Servants will tactfully point that it's a bit rubbish in value for money terms, will require lots of legislation and an increase in the Civil Service headcount when they're trying to reduce it by 91,000, also burn and replace all the EU legislation, asking is this really the best use of Departmental resources in the current situation, and it'll quietly get shelved once Psycho Clown replaces Rubbish Clown.

Option 2: and I'm not ruling this out. He might actually be serious. Psycho Clown let's Useless Poodle off the leash to try to attack cyclists and cycling. Next steps.

* Widespread disobedience, assuming it makes it through against rising groundswell of popular opinion, the House of Lords and if secondary legislation is used to shoehorn it through, judicial review.

* A shedload of public protest, say, at or around the venue of the the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham on 2-5 October. Involving lots of cyclists. Possibly elsewhere as well. Heck, everywhere.

* Getting politically active. Maybe not for any particular party, just to get the cold creepy hands of the Conservative Party off the levers of power. I've also got issues with the other parties – starting with Starmer’s hair – but the other parties aren't coming after my bikes. Tactical voting and vote-swapping. Providing support to local political organisations and campaigning.

It's clear that the Tories are in a tail-spin and are just chucking stuff at the wall to see what sticks. Every sensible-thinking person needs to vote them out of power as soon as possible before they do even more damage.

Avatar
Hirsute replied to mattw | 1 year ago
0 likes

The cover is actually third party liability and one advertised it as "If you poked someone in the eye with your umbrella when on holiday in moscow you'll be covered".

I did like the wording of one policy which covers your servants too !

Avatar
Awavey replied to yupiteru | 1 year ago
3 likes

parliament is in recess, aka holiday mode, so government isnt doing anything at the moment, any distraction by a minister will be so fleeting as to be barely noticeable, you cant bump double digit inflation & energy bills massively increasing as stories off the news grid by inventing new ways to annoy cyclists.

This is Shapps making up policy on the hoof, for what purpose?, to please Mail readers, why? They overwhelmingly vote Tory anyway, they arent suddenly going to start voting Tory twice, so it's a waste of effort & those that can vote in the leadership election wont be swayed by this to vote one way or the other as it's not something either candidate is pushing to Tory members anyway, again its policy on the hoof.

The only reason he can be doing this assuming he's smart enough, is to be trying to put clearer distance between him and Boris's more pro cycling policies, in an attempt to curry favour with parliamentary colleagues, after being royally embarrassed by them when hardly any supported his leadership bid.

Avatar
Rendel Harris replied to John Be | 1 year ago
6 likes

John Be wrote:

I recall that Reg Harris was fined for exceeding a 30 MPH speed limit in the 50's. I  would be surprised if the law that made that possible has been rescinded, and feel sure it would apply also to 20 MPH limits.

Not sure what the law was in Reg's day, there certainly isn't anything about breaking the speed limit while cycling on the current statute. One could be charged with dangerous or careless cycling under the RTA 1988 (£2500 max fine for dangerous, £1000 for careless) and excessive speed for the conditions (wouldn't have to be over the speed limit, e.g. descending at 40mph in a 60mph zone in thick fog) could form part of that charge, but cyclists certainly can't be charged solely with excess speed. 

Avatar
mdavidford replied to Dnnnnnn | 1 year ago
5 likes

Dnnnnnn wrote:

Bring back hanging!

I'm not clear whether you're proposing this for cyclists, Daily Mail 'journalists', or Transport Ministers?

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to Northumber_lad | 1 year ago
7 likes

Northumber_lad wrote:

 I also happen to be a Police Officer so I thought I'd give my twopenneth opinion here.  (If you hate the police just scroll past and save the abuse for Twitter and Facebook thank you).  

SHUT YOUR FESTERING GOB, YOU TIT!
YOUR TYPE REALLY MAKES ME PUKE, YOU PERVERT!

Oh! I'm sorry, but this is abuse - you want Room 12A. Next door

Avatar
Rendel Harris replied to Rick_Rude | 1 year ago
6 likes

Rick_Rude wrote:

How have we got to this? I can remember back to when MPs at least had to be a step above your idiot boss (or seemed that way) in the intellect standings and used to resign from time to time. Now we have utter trash level people on all sides of government, doling out trash level proposals. This is clearly just petty personal views being attempted to be passed into legislation or something more sinister. 

I know a few people who've worked/are working at a high level of government (Cabinet Office); although as civil servants their opinions are possibly not unbiased, their take is that since Brexit politicians have decided that they know what's best and they'll just do it without consultation (remember Gove's famous "had enough of experts"?). Previously a minister, or even the Cabinet, would throw out an idea and the job of the Civil Service was to provide an evaluation of the idea and an assessment of its feasibility. Now they tend completely to bypass the experts and simply throw out their (often ideologically grounded) ideas and demand that they are implemented. The wisdom of this when you have a leadership group whose primary expertise was gained from a PPE degree, or in Shapps' case an HND in business studies and a career as a photocopier salesman, is dubious. No reason they can't be good ministers or even Prime Ministers, but if they decide they can do it all on their own without guidance you end up with, well, Nadine Dorries.

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to Geoffish | 1 year ago
6 likes

Geoffish wrote:

Typical distraction tactics by the government.
But surely if they wanted to look like they were cracking down on dangerous cyclists they could pledge to enforce all the ilegal electric bikes on the streets at the moment? 
Not sure what other readers think, but better enforcement of suped up electric bikes that the riders don't have to pedal whilst going uphill would surely appease the masses but also make things actually safer? 

There seems to be a general decree from the oil/motor corporations to not mention e-bikes and e-scooters where possible as otherwise it detracts from their "electric cars will save us all" narrative. If people start seeing e-bikes being publicised, then they'll start to think "that's perfect for commuting a few miles into work; is much cheaper than a car and won't need specialised charging infrastructure".

Avatar
eburtthebike replied to Hicksi | 1 year ago
5 likes

Hicksi wrote:

Has Grant Shapps ever had an IQ test?

Yes, but the machine only went down to zero, it didn't do negative numbers.

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Car Delenda Est replied to ubercurmudgeon | 1 year ago
0 likes

Since John Major's war on single mums at least.

Avatar
ktache replied to Nick Price | 1 year ago
2 likes

Unfortunately your bicycle seems to lack the legally required rear and pedal reflectors.

Adehence and all that...

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