Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to encourage cyclists who cycle at night to (a) use bicycle lights and (b) wear high-visibility clothing.

The safety of vulnerable road users is a priority for the Government, and the Department is determined to make the roads safer for everyone. Rule 60 of The Highway Code states that cycles must be fitted with a rear reflector and must have front and rear lights lit at night. Cycling without proper lights is an offence and enforcement is a matter for the police.

Rule 59 recommends that cyclists should wear light-coloured or fluorescent clothing to help other road users to see them in daylight and poor light, with reflective clothing and/or accessories in the dark. This advice was made clearer in the updated version of The Highway Code that was published in January 2022, and the Department ran a communication campaign in 2022 to highlight some of the key changes.