Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, said he wanted to close a loophole that allowed cyclists to break speed limits and even overtake cars in low-speed zones that are spreading across Britain. DOT officials acknowledge that such a penalty regime would require cyclists to have license plates or some other form of recognizable marking for enforcement purposes. The speed limits of the Highway Traffic Code and the Road Traffic Act apply only to motor vehicles and their drivers. Local councils can impose speed limits on cyclists, but this is rarely done.

“Enforce speed limits for cyclists”

Mr Shapps told the Daily Mail: “One place where cyclists don’t break the law is speeding, and that’s not right, which is why I absolutely recommend that speed limit restrictions be extended to cyclists. “Especially where you have 20mph limits on increasing numbers of roads, cyclists can easily exceed them, so I want speed limits for cyclists to apply. “That obviously leads you to the question, ‘Well, how are you going to identify the cyclist?’ Need license plates and insurance? And something like that.’ “So I’m suggesting there’s a review of insurance and how you actually monitor cyclists who break the law. “I don’t want to stop people from getting on their bikes. It’s a fantastic way to travel. We’ve seen a big boom in cycling during Covid and since then, I think it has a lot of health benefits. “But I don’t see any reason why cyclists should be breaking traffic laws, why they should be speeding, why they should be able to run red lights and be able to get away with it. “I think we shouldn’t turn a blind eye to this, and I’m proposing the creation of a review to do just that.”

Mr Shapps may no longer be transport minister when the new prime minister, announced on September 5, reshuffles the cabinet. However, he would push any successor to undertake the review. Compulsory insurance for cyclists is also expected to be considered. If reckless riders seriously injure or kill pedestrians, this would allow victims to seek compensation. Pedestrians hit by cars can make large claims paid by the driver’s insurer, but this is not possible for victims of reckless cyclists. If the rider has little wealth, he also cannot be sued for damages. It would form part of a wider overhaul to punish a minority of aggressive riders, which would also result in a new offense of death by dangerous cycling. Currently, a legal loophole means that killer cyclists can be jailed for up to two years. Motorists can be jailed for life. The overhaul of road laws aims to create greater parity between drivers and riders amid rising tensions following changes to the Highway Code. These changes, announced in January, mean cyclists have priority over motorists and are even encouraged to ride in the middle of the road on some roads. The number of 20mph zones is being expanded, but some cyclists have been suspected of breaking these limits, causing problems for pedestrians and drivers. Surrey County Council is to pilot new 20mph and 30mph restrictions in around 80 square miles south of the A25 between Guildford and Dorking. Oxfordshire County Council is also introducing more 20mph limits right across the town of Witney, David Cameron’s former constituency. Last month, the Welsh Parliament voted to make 20mph the default speed limit on residential roads, instead of 30mph.