Motorists face fines for driving too close to cyclists as part of push for cycle safety

Motorists who drive too close to cyclists now face a £100 fine and penalty points as part of a new push on cycling safety.

The government has launched a new drive to help the police crack down on ‘close passing’, which also includes providing training materials and support for police forces to raise awareness.

Under new rules, motorists who pass less than 1.5-metres away from a cyclist could be hit with a £100 fine and three penalty points.

The push is part of a wider cycling initiative launched on Friday (June 29) by Cycling Minister Jesse Norman.

Speaking at the Cycle City Active City conference in Manchester, Cycling Minister Jesse Norman outlined the benefits of cycling but said: “We will only achieve our ambitious aims if people feel safe when they walk and cycle”.

“We shouldn’t only concentrate on catching and punishing drivers when they make a mistake, but try to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge to drive safely alongside cyclists in all conditions.”

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Police Constable PC Mark Hodson, from West Midlands Police’s Road Harm Reduction Unit, said:
“Cycling groups are telling us that, on the whole, motorists are becoming more considerate and understand we will prosecute them if they endanger vulnerable road users.

“We’ve seen reports of close-passes halve in the West Midlands since we started the project and the number of cyclists seriously hurt in collisions fall by a fifth − that’s incredible against a backdrop of increasing numbers of people cycling on our roads.

“Drivers who endanger vulnerable road users need to understand that we run operations to catch them, and if they avoid our officers we can still prosecute them using footage provided by cyclists and other motorists.”

The announcement coincided with a new partnership to help 25,000 more primary school children access safe cycling programmes.