Cyclists should face fines if they break the rules, says leading lawyer
Cyclists should be required to join a compulsory registration scheme and face points on their licence if they break the rules of the road, one of the country's leading motoring lawyers has suggested.
Nick Freeman, who was dubbed Mr Loophole, after getting a string of celebrities off driving offences, has launched a Parliamentary petition calling for tighter legislation to control cyclists and e-scooter riders.
He has recommended that all bike riders should have to wear a numbered tabard when they are on the roads which would be the equivalent of a car registration plate.
That way if they were spotted committing offences such as jumping red lights or ignoring pedestrian crossings they could be identified and prosecuted.
He suggested that those who broke the rules of the road could be issued with fines or even get points on their driving licence if they have one.
Mr Freeman said there had been a huge rise in the number of cyclists taking to the roads during lockdown but many were benefiting from anonymity which allowed them to act with impunity and ignore the law.
He said: "This is not about a war between drivers and others but to have one law for all – to improve safety for all and create harmonious shared road space.
"While there are many responsible cyclists, there are still too many who ride with little respect for the rules of the road.
"That is why, as someone who has been a road traffic lawyer for 40 years and been immersed in the law for all that time, I felt something was clearly lacking.
"For example, unlike motorists, there is no legal imperative for identification, so anonymity was – and remains – a gift for those who cycle with impunity."
He said cyclists were 15 times more likely to be killed on British roads than motorists, with 4,000 riders suffering serious life changing injuries each year.
Mr Freeman suggested that by tightening up legislation for all road users cyclists would benefit because it would make their journeys safer.
He also wants to see tighter controls on the use of e-scooters which are becoming increasingly popular on British roads.
Under the current law the only e-scooters that can be used on public roads are those that are rented as part of government-backed trials.
But despite that, thousands of the machines have been sold across the UK and there has been a worrying trend that has seen them used in an increasing number of crimes including street muggings
Mr Freeman said: "Until legislation is introduced for cyclists and e-scooter riders, their anonymity will trump their accountability.
"It is something so many motorists seem to be clamouring for. I hope by launching the petition, Parliament will be forced to debate the matter and that changes in the law will arise to make the roads safer for all of us."
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