Chatteris cycling club says cycle reform ‘impractical’
Published:
12:00 18 August 2022
Updated:
12:26 18 August 2022
The Chatteris Cycling Club is raising concerns after being told cyclists could end up with speed limits and registration imposed after the transport secretary raised concerns about road safety and cyclists.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has proposed that the government, which has now agreed, consider whether or not cyclists must have number plates, insurance and must obey 20mph speed limits.
The public is concerned about the materialization of these plans.
Chatteris Cycling Club President George Alexaander said: “Mr Shapps seems to be good at ‘proposing’ ideas that prove unworkable or impractical when confronted with reality.
“Is he suggesting that every cyclist in the UK should have compulsory insurance? What should this insurance cover?
“Will the DVLA handle the 50 million cycle record?”
“If you look at how many times these ideas have been floated in the past, they always hit the same reality – unworkable and unenforceable without huge investment in the police and licensing authority.
While speaking to George he said “I think it’s very likely ‘that the perception of cyclists as a problem will only be exacerbated with these regulations’ because more people will then assume that the new regulations must mean that there really was a big problem in the first place.
Shapps told the Daily Mail: “Where cyclists don’t break the law is when they’re speeding, and that can’t be true, so I’m absolutely suggesting extending speed restrictions to cyclists.
“Particularly where you have 20mph limits on an increasing number of roads, cyclists can easily exceed them, so I want the speed limits to apply to cyclists.
“That obviously leads you to the question, ‘Well, how are you going to recognize the cyclist? Do you need license plates and insurance?’ And that kind of stuff”
Department of Transportation officials acknowledged that the measures Shapps talked about would require cyclists to have license plates or other markings that could be used for identification by law enforcement.
The idea of compulsory insurance is also being discussed by officials.
As it stands, the plans Shapps has drawn up are currently only outlines.
