Government considers new cycling law after Kim Briggs killed in crash

A new law could be introduced to tackle dangerous cycling after a mother-of-two died when she was hit by a man driving an illegal bike in east London.

The Government will launch a review to decide whether an offence equivalent to causing death by dangerous driving is needed for cyclists.

The question comes following the conviction of Charlie Alliston who was detained for 18 months on Friday over the death of 44-year-old Kim Briggs.

Alliston, now 20, was riding an illegal fixed wheel bike with no brakes when he ploughed into Mrs Briggs as she crossed Old Street last year.

The cyclist, from Bermondsey, south London, was cleared of manslaughter but convicted of “wanton or furious driving”.

He was sentenced to 18 months in a young offenders’ institution on Friday.

Ministers are now seeking independent legal advice after Mrs Briggs widow Matthew called for a change in the law following the landmark conviction.

Mrs Briggs’ death was one of a series of “high-profile incidents" involving cyclists, the government said.

In 2015, two pedestrians had been killed and 96 seriously injured after being hit by a bicycle, the BBC reported.

Transport minister Jesse Norman told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the review will also consider how the law should be updated to ensure "a proper legal remedy if a pedestrian is seriously injured or killed by a cyclist".

However, he added that the inquiry would also review “much wider elements of cycle safety affecting cyclists and pedestrians, but also the relationships with motorists".

Mr Briggs told the BBC that he “fully welcomed” the review.

He said: "Kim was by no means the first person this has happened to, but I think what Kim's case has done is highlighted a huge gap in the law between one from 1861 at one end and manslaughter at the other end.

"Manslaughter could only be brought because these were a rather unique set of circumstances, otherwise they would have been left with the Victorian law."