Cyclists mock plans for number plates and 20mph speed limits as they go to war with drivers

Cyclists have mocked proposals that would make them install number plates on their bicycles, as they go to war with motorists who have hailed an upcoming shake-up of road laws as ‘long overdue’.

The Government is set to review whether bike-riders should be made to have number plates, insurance and stick to 20mph speed limits in a road law shake-up. 

If approved it could see cyclists given licence penalty points or fines for speeding or running red lights, something which would require them to have number plates or identifiable markings for enforcement purposes.

Officials are also looking into the prospect of mandatory insurance, so any pedestrians seriously injured by reckless riders are able to get compensation.

Broadcaster Jeremy Vine, who is a keen cyclist, appeared to take aim at the plans by posting a mock-up image of a bike with a number plate attached.

Other cyclists jokingly suggested the Government shouldn’t stop there, and they should put number plates on ‘pedestrians and dogs’ next.

Some motorists have hailed the proposals though, with one taxi association calling the plans ‘long overdue’ and called for bike-riders to be ‘held accountable for their actions’.

This puts them firmly in opposition to cyclists who have reacted to the potential changes with anger and sarcasm.

Jeremy Vine, who is outspoken on cycling issues, jokingly tweeted an image of a bike with a car registration number plate attached to the rear, captioned with the words ‘Yes, I’m ready’.

The plate had spikes attached to the right hand side, with the suggestion being it would scratch the body and paintwork of vehicles that don’t leave enough room when overtaking.

Photographer Simon Warren, who authored books on cycling in the UK, also tweeted an image of a bike with a number plate attached to the back end, with the caption: ‘I’m ready for life in the new GrHate Britain. Are you?’

Other cyclists on social media have taken aim at the plans, with many ridiculing them.

Writer and journalist Michael Hutchinson joked: ‘I want number plates for pedestrians and dogs.’

Will Dunn went even further, saying: ‘More than twice as many people are killed by bees and wasps per year than by cyclists. Also, bees can travel at up to 32km/h. Number plates on bees!’

Road safety campaigner Adam Bronkhorst tweeted a picture of his personalised plate with the registration ‘R04D TAX’ – a reference to complaints from some motorists that cyclists don’t pay tax to ride on the roads.

Duncan Dollimore, Cycling UK’s head of campaigns said: ‘These latest proposals to regulate cycling are impractical and unworkable, and have been repeatedly dismissed by successive governments. 

‘They’re also a complete U-turn on current government policy as laid out last November when Baroness Vere said, “the costs of doing so would outweigh the benefits”. 

‘Every country which has tried to implement such ideas have soon realised their costly mistake.

‘As cost of living ramps up, we’re seeing more people turning to cycling to meet their local transport needs. 

‘Rather than proposing expensive barriers to cycling more – both to the exchequer and the individual – we need this government to encourage people to cycle more, not less.’

But some motorists have praised the idea, with Steve McNamara, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association said cyclists should ‘obey the same rules of the road as the rest of us’.

He said: ‘These proposals are long overdue. The taxi trade has been calling for such measures to be introduced for cyclists, for years.

‘For too long, motorists have been demonised and the sole target of ever more restrictions and enforcement, when in fact the data clearly shows that more serious accidents are caused by reckless cyclists and dangerous cycling. 

‘If you watch any junction in central London for just a few minutes, you’ll see cyclists jumping red lights or travelling at inappropriately high speeds, with no regard for other road users or pedestrians, and complete impunity.

‘The recent changes to Highway Code, giving cyclists greater priority, have further exacerbated these problems. 

‘If ministers are serious about improving road safety, whilst continuing to promote “active travel”, it’s critical that cyclists obey the same rules of the road as the rest of us and can be held accountable for their actions, when they fall short.’

There was a similar reaction on social media, with many saying it was needed to prevent dangerous cycling.

@RayMariead said: ‘About time, they get away with everything, never pay for damage they cause astride off and no way to ID them.’

@Guess_who002 added: ‘Agree with Nick here the cyclists are a law unto themselves as they operate unaccountable. Make them accountable as all other licence holding road users are taught & things may change.’

@davidthegolfer said: ‘Number plates and insurance, and a sociable attitude too. Many good cyclists out there with too many spoiling their rep. Oh, and ban cycling/driving with ear buds.’

@GPastabake joked: ‘It’s rare that news stories these days make me smile… but this one has brightened my whole day already… and it’s only 6am. Wholesomeness.’

@MrJonnyO added: ‘Well overdue… Number plates in particular, so that cyclists can be held accountable for their behaviour.’ 

The plans have also been welcomed by Nick Freeman, a solicitor who has campaigned for stricter rules on cyclists, who said it would help hold them accountable for dangerous riding. 

Speaking on the Jeremy Vine Show, he previously said: ‘I welcome Grant Shapps’ moves, but I do think he needs to go a lot further and my view is we just need compete parity with all road users on the roads,’ he said.

‘I’m afraid that includes some form of identification for cyclists. 

‘The priority surely is to make roads safer and I completely agree, it would be wonderful if everyone cycled, but not at the cost and safety of other people. 

‘They can cycle, we need the infrastructure, but the roads need to be safe for everybody.’

He added it was important that people are held accountable for their actions.

‘My view is if people are accountable they will be responsible and then they won’t be going through red lights, they won’t be cycling on the pavement,’ he said.

‘Unfortunately, serious injuries with pedestrians is massively on the rise. 

‘Of course, cars cause far more injury and I accept all that, but what we want is for everyone to be safe and I would go and not stop at cyclists – I would outlaw pedestrians crossing the road listening to music or using their phones. 

‘We all need to accept responsibility for what we do, we can’t just say it’s the responsibility of the people who cause the most danger. 

‘So we need to be collaborative and inclusive and everyone needs to accept some degree of responsibility.’

Pedestrians hit by cars can make sizeable claims which are paid out by the motorist’s insurer. But this is not possible for victims of reckless cyclists, and riders cannot be sued if they have little wealth.

The plans would be part of a wider crackdown on a minority of aggressive riders that would also see the creation of a new offence of death by dangerous cycling, which Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced in the Daily Mail earlier this month.

At present, an ‘archaic’ legal hole means killer cyclists can be jailed for a maximum of two years, where motorists can be jailed for life. 

Earlier this year Stewart McGinn was jailed for just over a year for killing 79-year-old Jane Stone when he smashed into her while cycling on the pavement. 

And in 2016 Kim Briggs was killed in east London when an illegal bike ridden by Charlie Alliston ploughed into her as she tried to cross the road. 

Alliston, whose bike had no front brakes, was later cleared of manslaughter by a jury and convicted of  ‘wanton or furious driving’ – the same offence as McGinn – and was jailed for 18 months.

The review of road laws would create greater parity amid growing tension following changes to the Highway Code.

The changes, announced by the Government in January, mean cyclists have priority over motorists and are even encouraged to ride in the middle of the road on some streets.

Drivers were also given more responsibility to watch out for people cycling, walking or riding a horse, while cyclists were given more responsibility to be aware of pedestrians.

Other key amendments include clearer guidance for drivers to leave a distance of at least 1.5 metres when overtaking cyclists, and instructing drivers turning into a road to give way to pedestrians waiting to cross.

Charities and motoring groups said not enough was done to make people aware of the changes before it was made law and that this could lead to increased anger and resentment on the roads.

Neil Greig, the director of policy and research at IAM RoadSmart, a road safety charity, told the Times: ‘A lot of drivers are going to think that somebody cycling in the middle of the lane in front of them is doing it to deliberately slow them down.

‘That leads to conflict and road rage and inappropriate overtaking. Everybody needs to know all of these changes at the same time for it to work.’

Meanwhile, the Alliance of British Drivers slammed the changes as potentially dangerous.

A spokesman said: ‘The proposed hierarchy of road users is likely to create or exacerbate resentment and ill feeling between different classes of road user, and may lead to irresponsible attitudes by cyclists and pedestrians.

‘All road users have a responsibility towards all other users and should treat one another with respect and tolerance.’ 

Speaking to the Mail this week, Mr Shapps said cyclists should have to obey the rules of the road. 

‘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,’ he said. 

‘I don’t want to stop people from getting on their bike, it’s a fantastic way to travel, and we’ve seen a big explosion of cycling during Covid and since. But I see no reason why cyclists should break the road laws and be able to get away with it.’

Mr Shapps may no longer be transport secretary in the new prime minister’s Cabinet. But he said the successor will be urged to press ahead with the review. It is likely to raise questions about drink-drive limits and whether an age cap would be needed to stop children being subject to the strict rules.

A report last year by the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety found one in every 100 crashes in which a pedestrian was killed would be the fault of a cyclist, compared with 65 in which a car driver was responsible.

The report detailed 470 incidents in 2019 in which a pedestrian had been killed by a road user. Five collisions were the fault of cyclists, compared with 305 caused by car drivers and 51 by HGV drivers. And seven road deaths in the year were attributed to cyclists, compared with 721 people killed by car drivers.

We have to put the brakes on reckless riders

Commentary by Melissa Kite

The last time I rode my horse on the country lanes of Surrey, I nearly didn’t come back. All thanks to a gang of cyclists.

Only a few steps from the gate of the stable yard, a racing club in formation swarmed downhill towards me, spread across the lane. As poor Darcy began to panic, I screamed: ‘No, please!’

But they kept on coming. The bikes swirled around Darcy and suddenly she was spinning in circles – right into the path of a car behind me. I clung to her neck to stop myself falling, and saw the look on the driver’s face. We were so close I think we both thought I was about to end up on the bonnet. To this day, Darcy trembles when she hears the faintest whoosh of a bike.

Anyone prepared to hurtle past a woman clinging to the neck of a terrified horse is not safe to be on the roads unlicensed and uninsured.

That’s why I’m delighted that, as the Mail reports today, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps is hinting changes might be in the offing – including speed limits and registration plates for these menaces of the road who have earned the nickname ‘Lycra louts’.

This is long overdue. Many vulnerable road users have not been as lucky as I was to escape unscathed from encounters with the two-wheeled terrors.

Of course, most cyclists are law-abiding and just want to get safely from A to B while enjoying a bit of exercise. But just as the rules of the road are there for a minority of bad drivers, a small number of dangerous cyclists risk tainting the good name of the majority and should be kept in check.

Some cyclists flagrantly break the law: running red lights, ignoring pedestrian crossings, weaving in and out of lanes and mounting pavements. But as Mr Shapps points out, speeding on a bike isn’t illegal. The political power of the cyclist lobby is now such that other road users are made to bow down before it.

And this, in many cases, has gone to cyclists’ heads. They think they can get away with anything. In 2016, 44-year-old mother-of-two Kim Briggs died when she was hit by a cyclist as she crossed the road in east London. Her killer, Charlie Alliston, then 18, was illegally riding a bike with no front brakes. He shouted ‘Get the f*** out of my way’ before smashing into her.

Yet he was jailed for just 18 months because no law existed to charge him with the equivalent punishment of causing death by dangerous driving – indeed, he had to be convicted under Victorian legislation dating to the time of the horse and trap.

I dislike red tape and am an instinctive libertarian, but we need a system of parity between all road users. As my experience shows, the situation is dire in the countryside, where weekend cycling clubs are increasingly using the public roads as a racing track. And it’s not just the accidents they cause. It’s their anti-social behaviour. The atmosphere in many once-genteel areas has been ruined by the arrogant mentality of cyclists, hurtling along with selfish aggression.

Of course, there is no excuse for motorists not taking care around bikes, and all incidents of negligence by cars are deplorable. But while we rightly insist on good driving, it’s time for cyclists to take some responsibility, too.

Infrastructure in our cities increasingly favours cyclists at the expense of drivers, pedestrians and everyone else.

Very often in the congested city streets, cyclists are the only people going more than 20mph – and sometimes without wearing a helmet or while listening to music on headphones. Boris Johnson, himself a keen cyclist, rightly called behaviour ‘absolutely nuts’ when he was London mayor after a spate of deaths in 2013. As long ago as 2012, a survey found 57 per cent of cyclists had jumped a red light – and things seem no better now. In February, police in Hackney, east London, caught 18 cyclists running red lights in 90 minutes.

One way or another, riders have got the idea that they can do what they like. Well, it’s time we did something about it.

Mr Shapps’s plans are a good start, but politicians must stand up more firmly against the cycling lobby. They must stop kow-towing to groups such as Cycling UK, which seem to rule by force of numbers.

Their slogan is ‘Giving us a Louder Voice’. Recent changes to the Highway Code, letting bikes hold the centre of the road, show how noisy they already are.

The freedom given to bikes has gone too far. We need to make cyclists accountable.