PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
SPOT FINES FOR CYCLISTS (27 June 1999)

That this House is seriously concerned about Government plans to introduce spot fines for cyclists which would be a form of rough justice deeply damaging to the Government's own plans to encourage cycling and would be particularly unacceptable before cycling has been made safer by much better provision of cycle paths and allocated road space for cyclists; further considers that, while not condoning cyclists breaking the law, to deal uniquely with that problem sends out the wrong message at a time when the Government is already in danger of not meeting its targets on increasing cycle use, particularly given that the figures show pedestrians to be at negligible risk from cyclists compared with the risk to both pedestrians and cyclists from cars and other vehicles; and believes therefore that it would be a waste of police time to chase children on bicycles when illegal parking and other law-breaking by motorists that poses far more danger to both pedestrians and cyclists is widely ignored.

Sponsored by:
Mr Ben Bradshaw (Labour)