Third of Drivers Think Cyclists Should be Banned from Public Roads

A third of drivers think cyclists should not be allowed to use public roads, according to a recently released survey.

The polling of opinion, conducted by BBC’s Panorama programme, found 33% of motorists questioned wanted cyclists restricted to cycle lanes and shared pathways.

Over 70% of motorists felt cyclists should have insurance, with 86% agreeing that those on two wheels should obey speed limits.

A fraction over half - 53% - of the 12,500 drivers surveyed agreed that cyclists should be seen as equal partners on the road but, rather worryingly, 25% admitted they had knowingly driven too close to those on their bikes.

The Highway Code has been amended of late, with the new Hierarchy of Road Users placing cyclists second in the list of most vulnerable road users.

Also changed is the encouraged road position of cyclists, with a rider advised to ride in the centre of the lane “on narrow sections of road, on quiet roads or streets, at road junctions and in slower-moving traffic.”

The UK has one of the lowest cycling journey rates in Europe with one in 50 journeys by bike, in contrast to Holland’s rate of one in four.

The Government wants to double the amount of cycling journeys over the next five years but a third of those involved in the survey said too much money has been spent already  

Clare Rogers, from London Cycling Campaign, said: “People don’t want to cycle with lorries, they don’t want to cycle on busy streets.

“They need that safe infrastructure where they know they are going to be OK, [that] they’re going to complete their journey.”

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