The government’s latest move to criminalise “death by dangerous cycling”, quietly inserted into the sweeping new Criminal Justice Bill, may sound like an obvious piece of common sense.
We’ve all had our run-ins with cyclists: crossing the road at a green light only to have someone whizz past, ignoring the signal; or witnessing teenagers riding three or four abreast, texting with no hands on the handlebars. Cyclists are not without fault, and it’s true that bicycles can hit frightening speeds — some upwards of 50mph in the right conditions.
Yet, scratch beneath the surface, and it becomes clear that this proposed law is less about public safety and more a political manoeuvre. It distracts from a far deeper and more expensive issue: the inherent dangers built into our car-dominated transport infrastructure.
This legislative push stems from a tragic incident in 2016, when Kim Briggs, a pedestrian, was struck and fatally injured by Charlie Alliston, a cyclist riding an illegal bike on a London street. Alliston was ultimately convicted under a law dating back to 1861, originally intended for reckless carriage driving. His conviction led to calls for a more specific law targeting dangerous cyclists.
However, while the Briggs case is heartbreaking, the broader reality is that fatalities caused by cyclists are vanishingly rare. Compare this with the roughly five people who are killed every day on British roads by motor vehicles — a grim statistic that encompasses pedestrians, cyclists and motorists alike.
Instead of addressing this far larger problem at its root, it seems easier to vilify cyclists, casting them as reckless dangers to the public.
I can speak from bitter personal experience. A little over a year ago, while cycling home from work in Hackney, I was struck by a car. I woke up in hospital with a severe concussion and a deep gash dangerously close to a major artery. The driver? Never found. The police? Case closed within hours.
This isn’t just about my own trauma. It’s about a system that prioritises motorists over everyone else, and a political narrative that consistently pits vulnerable road users against one another rather than challenging the real cause of road danger: the cars themselves.
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This new offence — carrying a penalty of up to 14 years in prison — fits neatly into the pattern of populist policymaking: more about headlines and public anger than about meaningful safety improvements. It reinforces the perception that cycling is inherently dangerous, which in turn undermines efforts by national and local governments to promote cycling as a greener, healthier alternative.
Cyclists undeniably have an image problem. We are frequently portrayed as arrogant, rule-breaking, “woke” nuisances. In reality, most of us are simply trying to get to work, school, the shops, or back home — without being injured or worse.
True road safety will not come from scapegoating cyclists. It will come from tackling our car-centric infrastructure, creating streets that prioritise people over traffic, and fostering a culture where walking and cycling are normal, safe, and respected ways to get around.
If the government is serious about its commitments to active travel and climate targets, it should stop pandering to anti-cyclist sentiment and start investing properly in protected cycle lanes, traffic calming measures, and safer streets for all.
Cyclists are not the real danger on London’s roads. We are part of the solution to creating a safer, cleaner, more liveable city. It’s about time the political conversation caught up.
