Revised Highway Code to boost cycle safety

Campaigners pressure government to drop ban on group riding, reports James Shrubsall

- James Shrubsall

This month, nearly 18 months after the initial proposals were met with a mixture of concern and excitement by the cycling community, the updated Highway Code will come into force.

The new rules, which become official on 29 January, include a raft of measures designed to make the roads safer for cyclists and other vulnerable users, as well as more wide-ranging restrictions – on mobile phone use in cars, for example – that should also boost safety.

When the Department for Transport launched the initial consultation in August 2020, bike riders were pleased to see a “hierarchy of road users” and new suggestions around the safe overtaking of cyclists.

However, changes to the now notorious rule 66 – which proposed that cyclists riding two abreast should have to single out whenever a motorist wishes to pass them – were criticised as ambiguous, with the potential to spark conflict between cyclists and drivers. The consultation saw a robust response from the cycling community, highlighting the potential flaws in the wording, including from Cycling Weekly – which campaigned and garnered support from MPs who urged the DfT to listen to cyclists’ concerns. Thankfully it did listen, and concerns were reflected in a new, less ambiguous wording.

Here are four key changes to the Highway Code that cyclists can look forward to in a fortnight’s time:

Hierarchy of road users