People taking to the roads on their bikes could soon see a shake up with a number of new rules being enforced.
For those on the two wheels mode of transportation, it could mean they will have to have registration numbers, insurance as well as having to observe a speed limit.
The proposed changes, according to the Daily Mail, comes as there is said to be a growing belief among ministers that cyclists should have to follow the same speed restrictions and other rules as motorists amid an uptake in cycling.
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It is unclear whether this would result in licence penalty points or fines being issued to cyclists for speeding or running red lights and which way individual cyclists would be identified such as a number plate or other form of identifiable markings. A planned review also suggests insurance could be considered which would allow pedestrians who have been seriously injured to secure compensation.
Mr Shapps told the Mail: "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.
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"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."
According to the Mail, prominent road laws solicitor Nick Freeman said: "This is something that needs to happen for everyone’s safety and Grant Shapps should be congratulated for eventually listening."
Addressing the Daily Mail claims, a Transport Scotland spokesperson told Edinburgh Live: “Vehicle registration is generally a reserved matter operated by the DVLA. We have not been involved in discussions to date and would have to establish whether bicycles are classed as vehicles to understand what its impact on Scotland, if any, would be.
“We are committed to supporting many more people to walk, wheel or cycle for everyday journeys and are allocating record funding for that purpose. Cycle licences or registration plates would put that at risk, by making it harder for people to choose cycling for everyday short journeys. There appears to be no clear evidence base for such a policy, and so it has played no part in our proposals. There are many more effective steps that can be taken to ensure that roads are safer for all users – for example, increasing accessible cycle infrastructure, improving street design and making sure that all road users are aware of good safe ways of using the roads.”
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