Crackdown on ‘close passing’
POLICE are to crack down on drivers who overtake too close to cyclists, following the launch of a new cycle-safety initiative by the Department for Transport (DFT).
Officers will get “training materials and support” to help prevent “close passing”, which is said to put many cyclists off taking to the roads.
PC Mark Hodson, from West Midlands Police, said motorists who do not give cyclists enough room on the road “need to understand that we run operations to catch them, using footage provided by cyclists and other motorists”.
While the Highway Code only advises drivers give cyclists “at least as much room as you would when overtaking a car”, some police forces recommend allowing 1.5 metres of space when passing. Driving instructors will also take part in a £500,000 pilot scheme promoting cycle safety among learner drivers. The Dft-funded programme aims to “ensure cyclists’ safety is at the forefront” of learner drivers’ minds.