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news
grant shapps - screenshot via twitter.PNGGrant Shapps: Cyclists should have number plates, be insured and subject to speed limits
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
That's a fair clarification. Though mine would probably exclude deliberate poking in the eye as a criminal act.
This is the wording from mine, which covers the stuff that Shapps was rabbiting on about afaics:
We will indemnify You:
(ii) As a private individual for any amounts You become legally liable to pay as damages for
• Bodily Injury
• damage to property caused by an accident happening anywhere in the world during the Period of Insurance
(with a list of exclusions, of course - professional activities, criminality, alternative cover elsewhere etc)
Incidentally, I was in touch with Cycling UK Comms and they are currently preparing a response, and I asked them to emphasise the home insurance policy point.
Royal Parks Police !
That level of policy detail is not required at this stage and for current purposes.
I feel like I know you !
I do suspect it's a response to his failed leadership bid.
I assume someone pointed out that you can't be PM if nobody has ever heard of you.
That's the minister of The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, who clearly are not regulating the media from hate speech against people who travel by bicycle. Clearly she needs all the help she can get...
The umbrella one is accidental ! Many a time I have had to avoid the ends of umbrellas held by short people as the umbrella is level with my head.
Not me, guv. I wasn't even in the area at the time of the incident.
well yes, but again its essentialy about his standing within the parliamentary party, his leadership bid failed before it even started, because he couldnt get 20 of his colleagues to sign a bit of paper to nominate him, it never became a question of connecting with the public at large.
and I think if you look back at how the emergency active travel fund stuff progressed, and how alot of his Tory MP colleagues reacted to those cycle lanes and LTNs appearing and were writing letters objecting to him about it, he's very much trying to shift from being seen as staunchly Team Boris pro cyclists, to being Team whoever wins and pro not so much cyclists, as he thinks thats the best way to enhance his future career prospects with the new leadership, though I suspect most of the cabinet jobs will go to those that backed/helped the winning candidate, and the losing candidate to help unite the party
She would have to regulate herself then as she has tweeted out enough stuff to show she is anti-lgbt and slightly racist (all brown people look alike and sound alike) .
Maybe her staff are doing it for her as they all know her password and can logon as her. Against HoC rules and all common sense, but still when has that stopped ministers these days. I suppose it sets some guards up to blame someone else like her dyslexia was suddenly to blame previously.
Though today in Moscow you would be arrested for being Steed.
Anyhoo, perhaps you need a longer umbrella than the other person with a football on the end !
Evidence that she is not fit to serve as minister if she cannot tell who are the Protected Groups in law...
Oh I think she can, I think she just doesn't agree with it, or wants to present to her audience that minorities shouldn't push it...
How about if you poke them in the leg with a ricin tipped umbrella?
Definitely covered if you're a Muscovite holidaying in London.
I think Cycling UK are more likely to want to publicise that Cycling UK Membership includes 3rd party liability insurance...
No cyclist has ever been fined for exceeding the speed limit. He may have been found guilty of furious driving though.
Cycling proficiency still exists but is called Bikeability.
I worry about the behaviour of some on bikes that are effectively electric mopeds, but again any action should be prioritised based on risks and outcomes. Compare the lives ruined by bad driving with those affected by illegal ebikes. It's clear which needs parliamentary and civil service time.
I don't think you would make much progress if you adhere to the road.
Did they change the name just to exclude trikes?
And unicycles.
The thing is, they have said that (well, the first bit) in response to similar petitions over the years. Which makes it all the more bizarre that Shapps is now proposing it.
The DfT has already rejected this concept on at least two occasions. It'd be costly, complex and do nothing for road safety. It'll be rejected again. But he'll have won some points with the Daily Hate readers.
The same person that has suggested scrapping the need for an additional HGV license, is suggesting bikes are the main issue in road safety?
What would save more people a speed limiter on cars or number plates on bikes? How many dangerously driven cars reported to the police are dealt with even with a clearly visible licence plate.
problems that insurance for cyclists would definitely solve #1
Council responds to fears 'child will be killed' in Gloucester town after lad knocked off bike by car - Gloucestershire Live
Council responds to fears 'child will be killed' in Gloucester town after lad knocked off bike by car - Gloucestershire Live (link)
UK cyclists really do need to make a push for parliament to write a UK version of the "Idaho stop,'' law, which both makes riding safer and removes "running red lights'' from the bingo card.
I would agree, but I think there is zero chance that our politicians would vote for that as they seem to be just working for their own benefit, not for the public.
They're working?
More like grifting
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