Cycle campaigners warn against mandatory helmets

Cycling campaigners have warned against making helmets compulsory, insisting that data does not back up the case.

Jesse Norman, the transport minister, announced that a government consultation in the New Year will consider whether helmets and high-visibility vests should be mandatory on British roads.

But critics including Olympic gold medallist Chris Boardman say that helmets give cyclists and motorists a false sense of security while deterring attention from the causes of accidents such as dangerous drivers and poor road surfaces.

They also cite evidence that in countries where helmets have become compulsory, such as Australia, there has been a drop in the numbers of people cycling.

Mr Boardman, whose mother Carol was killed in a collision with a pick-up vehicle while cycling in Connah's Quay, North Wales, in July last year, said: "The Cycle Safety Review will be based on evidence, and evidence shows that helmets do not make a significant difference to people's safety.

"We would strongly oppose any moves to make helmets compulsory for cyclists."

Sam Jones of Cycling UK said: "There is no justification for making helmet-wearing compulsory.

"It could undermine levels of cycle use and, in any case, the effectiveness of helmets is not the black and white issue many think it is."

Mr Jones called for cycling safety to be improved by the creation of national design standards, similar to those introduced in London, to make roads safer for cyclists and avoid "dangerous cycling lanes being built".

More than 100 cyclists were killed on British roads last year, latest figures show.

A further 3,397 were seriously injured, a five per cent increase in 12 months.

The review into cycling safety was announced in September following the conviction of Charlie Alliston, 20, who knocked over and killed pedestrian Kim Briggs as he sped through east London on a bike with no front brakes. He was jailed for 18 months.

Mr Norman said: "If you want to have a society where a 12-year-old can get on a bicycle it's a serious issue as to whether you're going to mandate hi-vis or helmets, and there will be many arguments about whether the safety benefits outweigh or do not outweigh the deterrent effect that might have on people cycling.

"So we're going to leave that to the review."