Highway Code to be reviewed to improve road safety

The Government are reviewing The Highway Code to introduce a hierarchy of road users, clarify pedestrian and cyclist priority, and to establish safer overtaking.

There will  be a consultation seeking views on these proposed changes and its aim is to improve safety for vulnerable road users, particularly cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders.

The main alterations to the code being proposed are:

  • introducing a hierarchy of road users which ensures that those road users who can do the greatest harm have the greatest responsibility to reduce the danger or threat they may pose to others
  • clarifying existing rules on pedestrian priority on pavements, to advise that drivers and riders should give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross the road,
  • providing guidance on cyclist priority at junctions to advise drivers to give priority to cyclists at junctions when travelling straight ahead
  • establishing guidance on safe passing distances and speeds when overtaking cyclists and horse riders

More information about the review, and how to respond, can be found here.

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