Safe roads, traffic offences and the law
Cycling is a safe way to travel, but no one should feel they’re risking life or limb just by getting on their bike - that's why making our roads safer for cycling is at the heart of Cycling UK’s campaigning.
Over the years, we’ve mobilised tens of thousands of people to successfully convince the Government to take concrete action for safer roads, but we’re still working tirelessly to end the tragedy of deaths and injuries on the UK’s roads.
Latest news and information
Safe roads for everyone
At times, cycling on the UK’s roads can feel intimidating and dangerous. Although cycling is a safe way to travel, many cyclists experience scary near misses on a daily basis, putting far too many people off cycling altogether.
Poor road design and cycling space, failure to take road crime seriously, lack of enforcement by police, and dangerous vehicles with too may blind spots are all factors contributing to five deaths every day on our roads.
Road casualties are preventable, and we believe in a Vision Zero approach, where all risk is eliminated from the roads system. Our goal is that no one is killed or injured on our roads, and that everyone feels safe to choose active travel options like cycling and walking.
Our campaigns to make our roads safer
Some of our recent successes
Cycling UK has long campaigned for safer roads, often with great success. Some of our recent achievements include:
- Working closely with police forces nationwide to ensure every UK police force could run ‘close pass’ operations to tackle dangerous overtaking
- Securing the support of over 10,000 people for our 'Cycle Safety: Make it Simple campaign', ultimately leading to a 50-point government plan for safer roads
- Securing changes to the Civil Liabilities Bill to stop cyclists being burdened with legal fees when seeking compensation for injuries caused by negligent drivers
- Successfully making the case for any new cycling offences to be introduced only as part of a wider review of road traffic offences
- Developing two award-winning virtual Reality driver education films to tackle dangerous overtaking and car-dooring
- Successfully campaigning in collaboration with a range of partners, for action on dangerous lorries in London, with the Mayor’s 'Direct Vision Standard' now helping ensure lorries in the capital meet important safety standards
- Successfully campaigning for new Highway Code rules in England, Scotland and Wales which should make our roads significantly safer for people cycling and walking. These were introduced on 29 January 2022
Get involved for safer roads in your community
If you want to get involved in local campaigns for safer roads, then check out our Cycle Advocacy Network, which brings together people and groups with a shared interest in creating the conditions that enable more people to cycle, including better infrastructure for cycling and safer roads.