A SAFER HIGHWAY CODE FOR CYCLISTS - CHECK THIS OUT.
After more than a decade of campaigning by Cycling UK, new Highway Code rules for England, Scotland and Wales were introduced on 29 January 2022.
Cycling UK was closely involved in developing the changes, which should make our roads significantly safer for people cycling and walking, provided they are properly communicated, with clear, accurate and memorable messaging, and the new rules are backed up with visible road traffic enforcement by the police.
Confused about the changes to the Highway Code? Don’t be! CHECK OUT THE VIDEO HERE.
What are the new Highway Code rules?
Some of the key changes in the new Highway Code include:
The introduction of the ‘Hierarchy of Users’ or ‘Hierarchy of Responsibility’, recognising that road users who pose greater risks to others ought to have a higher level of responsibility.
Simplification of the rules relating to junctions where there aren’t any traffic signals, to make junctions safer and address ‘left-hook’ collisions.
New rules to tackle dangerous overtaking and ‘close passes’, with a guideline minimum safe passing distance of 1.5m.
Clearer guidance on looking before opening your car door, including the ‘Dutch Reach’ technique, to help prevent ‘car-dooring’
Cycling UK’s role in campaigning for change:
These are just some of around 50 Highway Code changes. We asked supporters to back our proposals for 10 key changes, all of which have been accepted, although the changes to overtaking rule 163 and group riding rule 66 aren’t exactly as we suggested.
These new rules should help address many of the everyday problems people who cycle face on the roads, and help educate drivers, feeding into driving lessons and tests, enabling the police to deal with bad driving which puts people cycling and walking at risk.
You can read our full response to the government’s consultation on these changes online, which received our largest-ever campaign response – more than 16,500 people wrote to the Department of Transport to support the changes we proposed.