Safe Drivers and Vehicles

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On your head be it? Bicycle helmets and recent legal cases.

By admin on 28 February 2012
Many cyclists were seriously concerned when a High Court Judge recently remarked that un-helmeted cyclists who suffer head injuries may not be entitled to full compensation if it can be shown that a helmet would have reduced or prevented their injuries.

After all, it is not compulsory to wear a helmet whilst cycling and there is no clear or conclusive evidence to support the view that compulsory wearing would either advance the cause of cycling, or necessarily improve cyclists’ safety on the road.

No Mandatory Helmets

No Mandatory Helmets
CTC wants to keep helmets an optional choice. Forcing people to wear helmets deters people from cycling and undermines the public health benefits of cycling. This campaign seeks to educate policy makers and block misguided attempts at legislation.
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Will the transport secretary turn the cycling debate into action?

By Chris Peck on 23 February 2012
23 February 2012
After a hugely positive debate on cycling in the House of Commons, CTC has called on Transport Secretary Justine Greening MP to support an action plan for ‘more and safer cycling’.
The debating chamber of Westminster Hall was packed for the debate on cycling

CTC has called on Transport Secretary Justine Greening MP to support an action plan for ‘more and safer cycling’, following a hugely positive debate on cycling in the House of Commons this afternoon. CTC also echoed calls from MPs for the restoration of Cycling England in order to co-ordinate delivery of this plan.

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'Cities fit for cycling' - a bit of a backlash?

By Chris Peck on 9 February 2012
The Times' campaign to improve safety was widely welcomed and many have come out in support, but criticism of the aims and execution was inevitable. CTC's main concern is that the campaign doesn't acknowledge the health benefits of cycling.
Cities fit for cycling logo

Most non-cyclists when asked why they don't cycle will probably list one of the main reasons as 'it's too dangerous!' This perception of danger often rests on poor understanding of the actual risks - usually most non-cyclists only view of cycling is through their windscreen as they nervously try to overtake a vulnerable looking cyclist at the side of the road. However, some of those concerns are justified: you may be less likely to die in a mile cycling than a mile walking, but you are even less likely to be killed while driving.

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Cities fit for cycling

By Chris Peck on 9 February 2012
The Times has launched a campaign to improve cycle safety following the serious injury to a reporter on the paper. An 8 point manifesto has been published, with the focus on lorries, junctions, cycle infrastructure and 20 mph as the default urban speed limit.
Cities fit for cycling

In November last year Mary Bowers, a journalist at The Times, was crushed by a lorry while cycling to work in east London. She remains in hospital unconscious 3 months on.

In response to this horrific event her colleagues on the paper have now launched a major campaign to increase safety for cyclists in Britain. In doing so they have taken advice from CTC and other organisations and come up with an 8 point plan of action. These include:

Cherry Allan's picture

Motorbikes

By Cherry Allan on 20 December 2011
Motorcyclists and cyclists have much in common, but motorcycling poses more risk to others and does not offer the same environmental benefits...
Headline Messages: 
  • As vulnerable road users, cyclists and motorcyclists share much common ground.
  • However, CTC is concerned that cyclists and pedestrians are more at risk from motorcycles than they are from cars. We are also concerned about the impact that more motorcycling could have on the environment. 
  • We therefore support policies to improve motorcyclists’ safety but, given the need to restrain motor traffic in general, we do not support actions intended to increase the use of motorcycles, or those that might have this effect.
CTC View (formal statement of CTC's policy): 
  • CTC recognises that motorcyclists and cyclists share a number of road safety problems, but is concerned that cyclists and pedestrians are more at risk from PTWs than they are from cars. 
  • National and local motorcycling policies should be informed by a comprehensive, Government-led assessment of the effects that a greater take-up of motorcycling might have. This should look at its impact on:
    • the safety (both actual and perceived) of (would-be) pedestrians and cyclists
    • the promotion and attractiveness of the cleaner, healthier, quieter and more sustainable alternatives of walking and cycling
    • the environment (pollutants and noise)
    • congestion 
  • PTWs should not be allowed in bus lanes, advanced stop lines (ASLs), vehicle-restricted areas or locations where pedal cycles enjoy exemptions from vehicle restrictions. This must necessarily apply to all PTWs, as larger, faster and more polluting machines make up the majority of the PTW fleet and it is not practical to provide traffic regulation benefits for the safest and cleanest machines alone.
Download full campaigns briefing: 
application/pdf iconMotorbikes
Publication Date: 
April 2010
Cherry Allan's picture

Goods vehicles

By Cherry Allan on 20 December 2011
Lorries pose a disproportionate threat to cyclists. There is a range of measures that should be introduced to reduce the hazard as a matter or urgency...
Goods Vehicles
Headline Messages: 
  • Reducing danger and intimidation from lorries is a key issue for improving cycle safety, especially in urban areas.
  • Goods vehicles make up only 5% of traffic in Great Britain (GB), but are involved in about 19% of cyclists’ road deaths per year. In London over 50% of cyclists’ fatalities are now due to collisions with lorries. They are also involved in about 12% of GB pedestrian fatalities, so they pose a serious threat to them too.
  • For cyclists, collisions with lorries are far more likely to prove fatal than collisions with cars: in 2009, the cyclist was killed in nearly 26% of serious injury cyclists/goods vehicle collisions; this figure was just under 3% for cyclists/cars. Equally, lorries are involved in just 1.7% of slight injuries to cyclists, but 19% of cyclists fatalities, on average.
  • Ways to tackle the problem include: maintaining and enforcing safe driving and vehicle standards; training and information for both cyclists and goods vehicle drivers; cycle-friendly vehicles; and road layout, routing and distribution strategies that minimise conflict.
CTC View (formal statement of CTC's policy): 
  • Goods vehicles pose a disproportionate threat to cyclists. Action must be taken by national and local government, hauliers and fleet operators, the police, the Health and Safety Executive and other enforcement agencies, as well as by individual lorry drivers and cyclists themselves.
  • Lorries pose risk to both cyclists and pedestrians, so the focus should be on lorries and lorry drivers, not just on cyclists. Many of the following measures that would help protect cyclists, would benefit pedestrians too (NB these are not necessarily in priority order given the need for more research in to the most effective amongst them):
    • Ensuring that vehicles are safe and that drivers are fit to drive them. This needs to be supported by rigorous enforcement of driving and vehicle standards by the responsible agencies.
    • Cycle awareness training for drivers or, better still, actual cycle training.
    • Training for cyclists to help them interact with goods vehicles as safely as possible.
    • Publicity campaigns for drivers and cyclists alike, highlighting the hazards and how to avoid them.
    • Fitting lorries with: sensors and alarms, in-cab cameras; mirrors/lenses and bigger windows to help drivers notice cyclists; sideguards; external warning signs; and intelligent speed adaptation.
    • Road layouts and street furniture (e.g. ‘Trixi’ mirrors) that facilitate safe interaction.
    • Routing, distribution strategies, and traffic management to mitigate the impact of lorries on places where people cycle or want to cycle. These include distribution centres on the edge of urban areas, for lorries to pass loads onto smaller vehicles for onward delivery; carrying more freight by rail; and lorry control measures imposed by local authorities.
    • Promoting freight cycles for goods distribution in urban areas.
    • Procurement policies, especially from public authorities, ensuring that the supply and delivery of goods and services takes the safety of vulnerable road users into account.
  • Research into the efficacy of all the above measures needs to be done, with the Department for Transport (DfT), Transport for London (TfL), other local authorities and operators all collaborating EU-wide, as required.
  • CTC opposes moves to introduce longer and/or heavier lorries on the UK roads
  • Individual haulage companies and the associations that represent them should develop, publish, maintain and monitor strategies, action plans and fleet management practices that minimise the risks that goods vehicles pose to cyclists. Where appropriate, these should be produced jointly with local authorities and enforcement agencies and be based on consultation with cyclists’ representatives.
Download full campaigns briefing: 
application/pdf iconGoods vehicles
Publication Date: 
December 2011
Cherry Allan's picture

Daylight saving

By Cherry Allan on 19 December 2011
Shifitng the UK’s clocks to give one extra hour of daylight in the evening and one less in the morning would affect everyone. Research should help decide if cyclists would benefit...
Cyclist on path
Headline Messages: 
  • Currently, many hours of daylight are ‘lost’ in the morning. Aligning UK time with Central European Time (CET) may bring considerable economic and environmental benefits because people would have more light for leisure activities in the evening and need less energy for lighting.
  • It is possible that a shift to CET would also result in fewer road crashes overall, although an increase on winter mornings may occur.
CTC View (formal statement of CTC's policy): 
  • CTC supports the idea of researching the effect of shifting time zones to align with many of our European neighbours. Such changes may bring considerable economic and environmental benefits and contribute to improved road safety.
  • In addition to the possible disadvantages of the shift for certain areas of the country and certain professions, there may be specific road safety effects on cyclists, such as the potential for greater exposure to icy conditions on winter mornings. These must be taken into account in the research.
  • CTC’s final view on daylight saving will be subject to the findings of official research.
Download full campaigns briefing: 
application/pdf iconDaylight Saving
Publication Date: 
June 2011
Cherry Allan's picture

Offences: Cycling under the influence

By Cherry Allan on 19 December 2011
Riding whilst under the influence of drink or drugs is an offence...
Cycle and car
Headline Messages: 

This briefing explains the law on cycling under the influence of drink or drugs. It should be read in conjunction with our policies on cyclists' behaviour and the law.

CTC View (formal statement of CTC's policy): 

Please refer to CTC's briefing on cyclists' behaviour and the law for our policies on cycling offences.

Download full campaigns briefing: 
application/pdf iconCycling under the influence
Publication Date: 
July 2012
Cherry Allan's picture

Bad driving offences

By Cherry Allan on 15 December 2011
Tackling bad driving offences effectively would help create a safer and more attractive environment for cycling and walking....
Bad driving
Headline Messages: 

Tackling bad driving offences effectively would help create a safer and more attractive environment for cycling and walking. In particular, the drink/drive limit should be lowered and hands-free mobile phones banned.

CTC View (formal statement of CTC's policy): 

Exceeding the speed limit

  • Speeding fines are currently too low to have any significant impact on driver behaviour.
  • Extreme speed (e.g. 20mph+ over the limit) should be treated as dangerous driving in the first instance.
  • There should be no margin over the speed limit at which a driver avoids penalty.

Drink/drug driving

  • The drink drive blood alcohol limit should be lowered from 80mg/100ml to not more than 50mg/100ml, in line with most European countries. Novice drivers should not be allowed to drink at all before driving.
  • We support the use of targeted checkpoints, but also believe that the police should be given more freedom to carry out random breath testing.
  • Alcohol interlocks should be fitted in offenders’ vehicles. If successful, the measure should be extended.
  • The definitions and standards for drug-related driving offences should relate solely to whether a drug impairs the ability to drive; it should not relate to whether it is legal to use it - i.e. over-the-counter and prescription drugs should be included.

Mobile phones

  • Use of hands-free mobile phones whilst driving should be banned.
  • More research needs to be done on other in-car distractions (e.g. SatNavs, radios, in-car computers etc); and drivers who put others in danger because they have been distracted by such devices, need to be appropriately penalised.

Driving without entitlement

  • Any driver convicted of a bad driving offence whilst unlicensed or disqualified should receive a custodial sentence for the crime.
Download full campaigns briefing: 
application/pdf iconBad Driving Offences Policy Document
Publication Date: 
October 2010
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  • Patron: Her Majesty The Queen
  • President: Jon Snow
  • Chief Executive: Gordon Seabright
  • Cyclists' Touring Club (CTC): A company limited by guarantee, registered in England no.25185. Registered as a charity in England and Wales No 1147607 and in Scotland No SC042541
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