Northamptonshire MP’s bid to tackle danger cyclists
A SECOND reading of a bill put forward by a county MP, which calls for the introduction of a new law to make it easier to prosecute dangerous cyclists, was due to take place in the House of Commons today.
In March 2011, Conservative MP for South Northamptonshire, Andrea Leadsom, introduced a 10-minute Rule Bill which called for an amendment of the Road Traffic Act 1988, so that it could include a “death by dangerous cycling” clause.
Mrs Leadsom has been pushing for the new law following the tragic death of Rhiannon Bennett, aged 17, who died from head injuries after she was hit by a bicycle in April 2007.
Rhiannon’s devastated parents, Michael and Diana, of Greatworth, were outraged when the cyclist left court with a fine of £2,200 after being charged with dangerous cycling.
Mr Bennett said: “In 2007 there were three people killed by cyclists who were on footpaths and not one of them spent any time in prison. After Rhiannon died we wanted to get a charge of manslaughter but the prosecution service said there was no law they were able to use.”
When she first introduced the bill, Mrs Leadsom said the new law would “fill the gap” in legislation.
She said: “The law, as it stands, does not consider that Rhiannon’s reckless killing merited a prison sentence.
“In my view, if a motorist had driven onto a pavement and killed a teenager there would have been a national outcry if the driver had walked away with only a fine.
“What is needed is an offence that fills the gap in the law and provides a charge that reflects the seriousness and the consequences of a cyclist’s actions.”
Mrs Leadsom has proposed that any person found guilty of causing death by dangerous cycling could face a penalty of up to 14 years in prison.
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Comments
There are 10 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
MrQ
Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 04:16 PMLeadsom is misguided. Whilst I feel for the family there were certain issues with this case which is why a charge of Dangerous Cycling (max £2500 fine) was chosen. There was no proof (and the Police officers said this outside court) he had actually been on the pavement as reports suggest. ----- Theres NO NEED for a change in law! We have Dangerous Cycling, we also have Wanton and Furious and Careless cycling (mobile phone riders can be charged under careless, and deaths and serious injuries under wanton - the latter meaning 2 years in prison - when was the last time a driver got that? 40 drivers a year mount the pavements and kill pedestrians) ----- Then there is also the option of Manslaugher, an option actually removed for drivers but not cyclists. If we were to "balance" up the law perhaps that should be removed from the cycling agenda first, since you can get a harsher sentence from manslaughter than death by's.
lady muck
Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 08:21 AMglass-half-full...don't apologise..there's nothing like a good rant to start the weekend. Ms Leadsom would do well to consider road deaths, weak sentences and vulnerability of cyclists in their entirety. She should reflect that if all cyclists (including children) were forced off theroad, deaths would actually rise. Usually, cyclists ride on the pavement for their own safety. Where this presents no danger, it seems that the police will not normally attempt to enforce the law. When it is clearly unsafe to cycle on a pavement (eg in Abington Street), the cyclists must be prosecuted. The first safety measure is that all cyclists should be made to use a bell to warn pedestrians when they are approaching from behind. In the long term, proper cycle ways must be built and isolated from traffic and pedestrians by kerbstones (like Amsterdam).
glass_half_full.
Friday, January 20, 2012 at 08:08 PMPending Moderation
glass_half_full.
Friday, January 20, 2012 at 07:53 PMOops, that should have been 'careless driving' by the killer on the A351. Rant over.
glass_half_full.
Friday, January 20, 2012 at 07:47 PMMuch as I sympathise with Leadsom's plight, this is a complete waste of time. If ever there was a case of a sledgehammer being used to crack a nut, then this is it. According to an article in the Chron last year, since 2010, 15 cyclists have been killed, and 1,396 injured in the county. Read that again - FIFTEEN KILLED. And that's just in Northants. http:www.northamptonchron.co.uknewsfeaturesis_enough_is_being_done_to_protect_cyclists_on_northamptonshire_s_roads_the_chron_investigates_1_2718572 When cyclists are killed, how many of the offenders and up in jail? Not many. Take the recent example of Rob Jefferies who was killed on the A351 last year. The 18 year old driver (Lee Cahill) admitted causing death by carless driving, but was only given a 12 month community order, an 18 month ban, ordered to take a re-take of his driving test and (wait for it) costs of £85. What price life? If we want to erradicate the few deaths that occur because of the idiots who do ride on the pavement, how about enforcing the existing laws prohibiting cycling on footpaths? Thankfully this Bill has stalled today as it ran out of time. If Andrea Leadsom wants to do something useful, then how about campaigning to reduce the hundreds of pedestrians and cyclists killed by motor vehicles every year.
executioners_bong
Friday, January 20, 2012 at 05:47 PMIt's funny that the police hassle cyclists going up and down Abington Street on push-bikes when at certain times of the day you see transit vans driving up and down the street at speeds of 20 mph...
mojo
Friday, January 20, 2012 at 02:58 PMIs that Mrs Leadsoms fault?
hecto
Friday, January 20, 2012 at 01:58 PMLast year, pedestrian Pauline Grubb was killed by a motorist who fell asleep at the the wheel and mounted the pavement. The car driver got a 10 month suspended sentance, a £250 fine and a 2 year driving ban. There was no national outcry Mrs Leadsom.
Cely
Friday, January 20, 2012 at 01:16 PMWe already have laws against cyclist. The police refuse to enforce them.
Common sense
Friday, January 20, 2012 at 12:53 PMA good cause no doubt but rather our MPs did something for the ONE MILLION young people unemployed and a STAGNANT ECONOMY!
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