Rules Of The Road
We campaign for safer speed limits and changes to the Highway Code, the rulebook for our roads.
We campaign for safer speed limits and changes to the Highway Code, the rulebook for our roads.
Most London boroughs now have a 20mph default speed limit, and TfL is increasing the amount of its roads that are also 20mph. This TfL map shows London slowly going 20mph in part thanks to our ongoing campaigning Over half of collisions with people at over 40mph kill; at 20 mph that chance falls to less than 2%. But faster motor traffic is also more intimidating to those walking and cycling too.
As well as reducing speed limits, we’re campaigning to change the rules of the road to tilt them in favour of those walking and cycling. We’ve long supported campaigns to clarify the Highway Code on drivers giving way at turns to those cycling and walking (and indeed for those cycling to give way to pedestrians), and changes to the Highway Code have now been made to improve clarity around giving way. Further, we support campaigning to enable different junction designs, widespread in Europe to enable those walking and cycling to cross a junction mouth while drivers give way.
We have also campaigned alongside others to clarify how close is too close for drivers to pass those cycling, and as a result, the government now outlines this in the Highway Code to: 1.5 metres below 30 mph, 2 meters above.
The new Highway Code also tells drivers how to avoid so-called “dooring collisions” when a carelessly opened car door can injure a cyclist. Drivers are advised to use their left hand to open the door forcing them to look backwards. It’s a common sense behaviour that may prevent collisions.