Image: UK Parliament
A member of the House of Lords is calling for cyclists and e-scooter riders to be prosecuted for the offence of using a phone, in the same way that car drivers are.
First reported by BBC News, Baroness McIntosh of Pickering wants a law change following an incident with a cyclist which took place near parliament.
Baroness Pickering recalls that she was crossing the road when she suddenly became aware of a cyclist travelling towards her using a mobile phone, “one hand bicycling, one hand on the mobile phone, on the wrong side of the road”.
She added: “I wasn’t clear whether he was going to stop or not.”
Baroness Pickering says some cyclists and riders of e-scooters and e-bikes and were using mobile phones “inappropriately” and challenged the DfT on why it had not addressed the issue.
The former tory minister said e-scooters were “even more of a concern” with some people left feeling “absolutely terrorised” by those using them “irresponsibly”.
Responding to the issue, roads minister Baroness Vere said while there is no specific offence for a cyclist using a phone, cyclists can be prosecuted for careless or dangerous cycling.
Baroness Vere said: “It is not a specific offence to cycle and use a mobile phone or headphones, but cyclists and e-bike riders can be prosecuted by the police for careless and dangerous cycling with maximum fines of £1,000 and £2,500 respectively.”
She added that the regulations in the Government’s current e-scooter trial already state that it is an offence to use a handheld mobile phone while operating one. Rule-breakers could be fined and get six penalty points.
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