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STATES OF JERSEY
REVIEW OF BICYCLE LAWS
Lodged au Greffe on 9th March 2010 by the Deputy of St. John
STATES GREFFE
2010 Price code: C P.27
PROPOSITION
THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion
to request the Minister for Transport and Technical Services –
- to review and update the Road Traffic (Jersey) Law 1956, as amended, and any other relevant legislation in relation to the riding of pedal cycles on the Island's roads or cycle tracks;
- to review the need for pedal cycle registration and to report back to the States within 6 months, with a proposition, if appropriate, to introduce such registration.
DEPUTY OF ST. JOHN
REPORT
Firstly, I must declare an interest as a cyclist.
We have seen a call for cycle helmets to be compulsory when riding a cycle.
Over recent years we have seen cycle-paths created alongside footpaths, we see inconsiderate cyclists without lights or reflective clothing on the footpath and cycling against the traffic, or on pavements with no way of identifying them, others cycling three abreast or in groups on roads with little regard for other road-users.
Cycles need a way of being identified, whether by way of a disc or number plate.
I have seen in the recent winter snow a cyclist on the highway at night without lights or reflective clothing, struggling to keep upright, making inappropriate gestures to vehicles that blew their horn at the rider.
We are promoting cycling as a way forward to solve our traffic problems; this being the case, we need to review our road traffic laws as a means of being upfront with the public as to what is acceptable or not acceptable.
Transport and Technical Services has Driver and Vehicle Standards within its Department, and they should carry out such a review.
Across the world, from Sark to Tonga and America to Australia, plus many European countries like Switzerland have cycle registration. Jersey had it in the past, maybe it is time to pull out the old Law and dust it off and produce a registration system fit for 2010 which is not cumbersome and expensive to administer but workable.
Financial and manpower implications
As the Department of Transport and Technical Services is currently carrying out a transport strategy, any work on this review should be able to be encompassed within it, thereby manpower and resource implications would be met within the Transport Strategy Review.
APPENDIX 1