A bill to Amend the Road Traffic Act 1988, the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 and the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994 to regulate cycling.
Be it enacted by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—
1 Protective headgear for cyclists¶
After section 18 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, insert—18A Protective headgear for cyclists
Sections 16 (wearing of protective headgear), 17 (protective helmets for motor cyclists) and 18 (authorisation of head-worn appliances for use on motor cycles) apply to cycles with such modifications as the Secretary of State may make by regulations.
2 Licences and penalties for cyclists¶
In the Road Traffic Act 1988, after section 122 insert—Part IVA — Licences and Penalties for Cyclists
122A Licences for cyclists
(1) It is an offence for a person to ride a cycle on a road without a cycling licence of the appropriate class, or to cause or permit another person to do so. (2) The classes of cycling licence are— (a) non-motorised pedal cycles (Class A); (b) mechanically propelled or power-assisted cycles (Class B). (3) A driving licence includes a cycling licence of both Class A and Class B. (4) A separate cycling licence (that is, a cycling licence for a person who does not hold a driving licence) of Class A, Class B or both may be granted to any person who does not hold a driving licence if they satisfy the issuer that they have completed Bikeability Level 2 or an equivalent course of training (in Great Britain or elsewhere) accredited by the Secretary of State. (5) A separate cycling licence may be issued by a Bikeability instructor or staff of a school, post office or public library. (6) The Secretary of State must prescribe the form of a separate cycling licence and must provide issuers with the necessary means to issue them. (7) No fee may be charged for the issue or reissue of a separate cycling licence for two years from the commencement of this section. Thereafter the Secretary of State may by regulations prescribe a fee. (8) No information may be required for the issue of a separate cycling licence other than— (a) the applicant’s full name and address, with such evidence as the issuer requires, (b) a photograph to the standard required for a passport and acceptable to the issuer as a good likeness of the applicant, and (c) such evidence as the issuer requires for the purposes of subsection (4). (9) If a person holding a separate cycling licence receives a driving licence, their separate cycling licence is cancelled. (10) Sections 92 to 96 (physical fitness), 99 (duration of licences), 100 (appeals), 103 (obtaining licence, or driving, while disqualified), 104 (conduct of proceedings), 105 (regulations) and 108 (interpretation) apply to cycling licences with such necessary modifications as the Secretary of State may make by regulations. 122B Penalties for cyclists
(1) In the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988, in section 98 (general interpretation), after ““licence” means a licence to drive a motor vehicle granted under Part III of that Act” (meaning this Act), insert “or a separate cycling licence granted under Part IVA of that Act”. (2) In that Act, in Schedule 2 (prosecution and punishment of offences), in rows “Carrying passenger on bicycle contrary to section 24”, “Careless, and inconsiderate, cycling”, “Cycling when unfit through drink or drugs” and “Unauthorised or irregular cycle racing or trials of speed on public ways”, and in relation to any other offence capable of being committed on or in relation to a cycle and prescribed by the Secretary of State by regulations— (a) in column 5 (Disqualification) insert “Discretionary”; (b) in column 6 (Endorsement) insert “Discretionary”; (c) in column 7 (Penalty points) insert “1-3”. (3) In that Act, in Schedule 2 (prosecution and punishment of offences), in the row for Dangerous cycling— (a) in column 5 (Disqualification) insert “Discretionary”; (b) in column 6 (Endorsement) insert “Obligatory”; (c) in column 7 (Penalty points) insert “4-11”.
3 Compulsory insurance for cyclists¶
After section 143 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (users of motor vehicles to be insured), insert—143A Users of cycles to be insured
(1) Subject to the provisions of this Part of this Act— (a) a person must not use a cycle on a road or other public place unless there is in force in relation to the use of the cycle by that person a policy of insurance which complies with the requirements of this Part of this Act, and (b) a person must not cause or permit any other person to use a cycle on a road or other public place unless there is in force in relation to the use of the cycle by that other person a policy of insurance which complies with the requirements of this Part of this Act. (2) If a person acts in contravention of this section, they are guilty of an offence. (3) A person charged with contravention of this section shall not be convicted if they prove— (a) that the cycle did not belong to them and was not in their possession under a contract of hiring or of loan, (b) that they were using the vehicle in the course of employment, and (c) that they neither knew nor had reason to believe that there was not in force in relation to the vehicle a policy of insurance as mentioned in subsection (1) above. (4) In the table in Part 1 of Schedule 2 to the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988, after the row beginning “RTA section 143” insert in columns 1 to 4—
“RTA section 143A
Using cycle while uninsured.
Summarily.
Level 5 on the standard scale.”
(5) This Part of this Act does not apply to persons aged under 16 or to invalid carriages.
4 Cycle registration¶
In the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994, after section 21 (registration of vehicles) insert—21A Registration of cycles
(1) The Secretary of State must register any cycle, as defined in section 192 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (as amended by the Regulation of Cycling Act 2025), in such manner as he or she thinks fit, on application by its keeper. (2) No duty, fee or any other payment shall arise on such registration for two years from the commencement of this section. Thereafter the Secretary of State may by regulations prescribe a fee. (3) Parts II (registration of vehicles), Part III (offences), Part IV (legal proceedings) and Part V (supplementary) of this Act apply to such cycles with such modifications as the Secretary of State may make by regulations.
5 Age restrictions¶
In the Road Traffic Act 1988, after section 103 insert—Exemption and disqualification of cyclists
103A Exemption and disqualification of cyclists under age
(1) A child under the age of 16 years is exempt from holding or obtaining a Class A cycling licence (for non-motorised pedal cycles) under Part IVA of this Act. (2) A child under the age of 14 years of age is disqualified from holding or obtaining a Class B cycling licence (for mechanically propelled or power-assisted cycles) under Part IVA of this Act. (3) The Secretary of State may by regulations change the ages specified in subsections (1) and (2). (4) The regulations must be laid under the affirmative procedure and may— (a) apply to persons of a category specified in or under the regulations, (b) apply in circumstances so specified, (c) impose conditions or create exemptions or provide for the imposition of conditions or the creation of exemptions, (d) contain such transitional and supplemental provisions (including provisions amending section 192 of this Act) as the Secretary of State considers necessary or expedient.
6 Definition of “cycle”¶
In section 192 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (general interpretation), for the definition of “cycle” substitute—cycle includes but is not limited to— (a) a non-motorised pedal cycle, (b) a power-assisted pedal cycle, (c) a mechanically propelled personal transporter, including— (i) an electric scooter, (ii) a self-balancing personal transporter (including a self-balancing scooter, self-balancing board or electric unicycle), and (iii) any other mechanically propelled personal transporter, not being a motor vehicle, (d) a cycle with more than two wheels, (e) a cycle rickshaw, and (f) a cargo bike; but “cycle” does not include a non-motorised scooter or skateboard,