Laws must be tightened to tackle reckless cyclists who put lives in danger, a Conservative MP has said.
Danny Kruger, 47, MP for Devizes in Wiltshire, called on the government to act and criticised a four-year wait for new laws after a consultation on dangerous cycling.
Mr Kruger criticised the slow pace of the government on the issue, saying it was ‘not good enough.’
In Parliament, Mr Kruger asked Leader of the House of Commons Mark Spencer, 52, what the government was going to do about the issue.
Mr Spencer promised the government planned to introduce offences for causing serious injury or death while cycling and harsher penalties.
Kim Briggs, 44, who was knocked down by Charlie Alliston in East London in February 2016 and died a week later. Hours after the crash Alliston, 20, posted a message online saying the accident had been ‘her fault’ and lied that Kim was on her mobile phone at the time
Diana Walker, 77, (left) was also killed in 2016. Her husband Peter (right) said he wanted to see the government act quickly to make sure similar tragedies could be averted
(Stock Image) concerns have increased in recent years over cycle deaths, with families of victims calling for deaths caused by reckless cycling to be treated the same as driving laws
Danny Kruger MP, 47, said the government action on dangerous cycling in the UK was ‘not good enough’
Mr Kruger told the Commons about the death of one his constituents in a cycling-related accident six years ago.
He said action should have been taken much faster to prevent similar tragedies.
It comes amid concern over deaths and serious injuries caused by cycling.
In February 2016, Kim Briggs was killed by reckless cyclist Charlie Alliston after sufferring ‘catastrophic injuries’ when he hit her as she crossed OId Street in East London.
Last month, Charlie Alliston (pictured), 20, a former courier, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for killing mother-of-two Kim Briggs, 44, after he collided with her at 18 mph on a bike with no front brakes on a busy London street last February
Mr Alliston was cleared of manslaughter and instead convicted of the Victorian ‘furious and wanton driving’ charge – he was jailed for 18 months.
In January, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the government would introduce a law which would see death by dangerous cycling treated in the same way as motor offences.
Danny Kruger told the Commons: ‘In May 2016, my constituent Peter Walker’s wife Diana was killed in an accident with a cyclist in the high street in Pewsey. The following year, the Government announced a consultation on a new offence of causing death by dangerous cycling.
‘And the year after that, in 2018, my predecessor Claire Perry was assured by the Government that the response to that consultation would be issued shortly.’
Bereaved husband Peter Walker has been seeking a change in the law since his wife’s tragic death.
Diana Walker was hit by a bike in Pewsey, Wiltshire in 2016 and died of her injuries two days later.
Although Mr Walker said the cyclist was doing ‘well over 30mph’, no crime was considered to have been committed at the time.
Mr Kruger added: ‘Four years on, we still have no response to that consultation. Since 2019, I have written to the Government four times to ask for a date when that will happen. Would my right honourable friend agree with me this really isn’t good enough?’
Mr Kruger added that he wanted the Department for Transport to ‘come forward with a timetable on this review and to bring forward the legislation that we need.’
Mr Spencer responded: ‘I can assure him the Department for Transport takes this issue very seriously.’
He added: ‘The Secretary of State is planning to publish our response to the consultation as soon as we can.
‘And, as my right honourable friend knows, the Secretary of State has already announced that we are considering bringing forward legislation to introduce new offences around dangerous cycling.
‘We’ll do this as a part of a suite of measures to improve the safety of all road and pavement users.’