Government progress on proposals for a death by dangerous cycling offence “isn’t good enough”, a Conservative MP has said.
Tory MP Danny Kruger called on the Government to bring forward legislation on the issue as he criticised a near four-year wait for them to respond to a consultation on such an offence.
In 2018, the Government ran a consultation on proposals for new offences of causing death or serious injury while cycling and making changes to existing offences of dangerous and careless cycling.
A cyclist riding on the road
Jacob King
Responding to Mr Kruger, Commons Leader Mark Spencer said the Government would respond “as soon as we can”.
Mr Kruger was speaking during a session of questions on Commons businesses.
The MP for Devizes told MPs: “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.
Conservative MP Danny Kruger
Parliament
“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.
“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 asked for support in getting 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.”