Cycling: Helmets

Baroness Sharples Excerpts

Thursday 23rd October 2014 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Baroness Sharples]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to legislate that cyclists must wear helmets.

[Lord Popat (Con)]

My Lords, the Government take cycle safety very seriously. We have no plans to legislate to make cyclists wear cycle helmets. However, we encourage their use by all cyclists, especially children. We believe that this should remain a matter of individual choice rather than imposing additional regulations which would be difficult to enforce.

[Baroness Sharples (Con)]

I thank my noble friend. However, if cyclists wore helmets, would they not be more visible and certainly safer? Can we also persuade them not to ride on pavements? Is my noble friend aware that recently, on a crossing outside the House, I hit a cyclist on the back because he did not stop and his friends behind shouted, “Well done—why didn’t you hit him harder”?

[Lord Popat]

I think we can all agree that my noble friend is a force of nature inside this Chamber and, based on what I have just heard, outside it as well. There is an important point, however. Although the police have a role to play in enforcing the law, we need everyone to play their part to ensure that all road users and pedestrians respect each other. If we had more people with the courage and decency of my noble friend, the world would be a better place.