‘Disastrous distraction tactic’: Grant Shapps’ crackdown on cyclists ignites fury

A London cycling campaign group has labelled Grant Shapps’ call to introduce 20mph speed limits for bikes as “ludicrous”.

Simon Monk, campaigns manager for London Cycling Campaign, said proposals by the transport secretary – that could introduce licensing and mandatory insurance – are “unworkable”.

Grant Shapps said he wants to change the Highway Code so that cyclists face the same rules as drivers.

Cyclists could be given penalty points – the enforcement of which would require all two-wheelers to have a licence.

Under the plans cyclists could also be handed fines for speeding or jumping the lights.

Mr Shapps told the Daily Mail: “I see no reason why cyclists should break the road laws and be able to get away with it.”

‘Fewer people will cycle’

Mr Munk told LondonWorld: “Very few cyclists in general can top 20mph reliably.

“Most cyclists don’t have speedometers and bicycles aren’t sold with speedometers.

“So how would you enforce a rule that would be very rarely broken in almost any circumstances?

“And even if it was broken, cyclists would have no way of knowing that they were breaking the law.”

Mr Munk said the “disastrous” and “massively costly” plan would force cyclists off the road, which is “counterproductive” in the middle of a climate crisis.

“The proposals would end up with fewer people cycling,” he said.

“If you force people to cycle and to pay out money in the cost of living crisis, do you think they'll cycle more or less? They'll cycle less.”

Mr Monk added: “This is an absolutely tabloid approach, which is distraction.

“This is a clear distraction tactic, it is designed to appeal to angry folks who are sitting in cars who believe that there is some kind of war on motoring, and cyclists somehow get off.”

Will Norman, London’s walking and cycling commissioner, said motor vehicles are most often involved in fatal crashes, and that City Hall is focusing on investing in walking and cycling infrastructure.

He said: “The mayor and I welcome any policy developments which seek to make our city safer and greener.

“But these suggestions from the government are a distraction from what is needed to reduce road danger on our streets.”

‘Cyclists speeding cannot be right’

The proposals by Grant Shapps follow his recent pledge to introduce a “death by dangerous cycling” law that would punish cyclists in parity with drivers, if they are responsible for killing someone on the road.

Currently, cyclists who kill pedestrians face a maximum jail sentence of two years.

Mr Shapps is unlikely to continue as transport secretary under the next prime minister, but he said his successor will be urged to press ahead with the review.

He told the Daily Mail: “Somewhere where cyclists are actually not breaking the law is when they speed, and that cannot be right, so I absolutely propose extending speed limit restrictions to cyclists.

“I don’t want to stop people from getting on their bike, it’s a fantastic way to travel, and we’ve seen a big explosion of cycling during Covid and since.

“But I see no reason why cyclists should break the road laws and be able to get away with it.”

One in 100 crashes where a pedestrian is killed is a cyclist’s fault, the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety found last year. In 65 out of 100 a driver is responsible.

The Department for Transport said last year, in a response to a petition, that cyclists needing to display identification could discourage people from riding bikes.