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