Peer wants number plates for cyclists after attack
Lord Winston was kicked repeatedly by a woman who had been cycling on the pavement
Lord Winston, the fertility expert and peer, has said cyclists should be forced to carry number plates after he was attacked by a woman he had challenged for speeding past him on the pavement.
The 78-year-old member of the House of Lords said that the woman repeatedly kicked him after he spoke to her in Bloomsbury, central London, on Wednesday.
“I went up to her and told her very politely that it was against the law to cycle on the pavement and it was dangerous,” he said.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
He said he expected her to “apologise and walk off” but she became very “aggressive and was swearing”.
Lord Winston added: “She snatched the telephone out of my hand and then threw it into the road. She then kicked me repeatedly.”
He says the encounter left him “sore and shocked”. Minutes later a second cyclist passed him at “great speed” going the wrong way down a one-way street before being blocked by pedestrians.
The encounter came days after he spoke out in the House of Lords about “extremely aggressive” cycling.
Now he is considering a private member’s bill. “The requirement for number plates would mean cyclists who are blatantly breaking the law can be identified,” he said. “I think it could prevent some of the lawlessness and some of the aggressiveness.”
He also believes they should be required to take out third-party insurance should also be considered.
In a letter to The Times, he wrote: “Most cyclists are responsible and conscientious but regrettably an increasing minority are very aggressive and break the law with impunity.”
Cycling groups opposed the suggestion. Roger Geffen, policy director at the charity Cycling UK, said a licensing system would “either massively deter cyclists or be a massive cost burden” to the government.
In 2017 four pedestrians were killed by cyclists, 130 were seriously injured and 372 slightly injured.
Charlie Alliston was jailed for killing a pedestrian as he rode through east London at 18mph on a bike with no front brakes. Last year a judge described cyclists who rode on pavements as “potential killers”.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Why are meteorologists worried Trump could ruin their forecasts?
Today's Big Question How a conservative push to dismantle a little-known government agency could lead to big headaches for anyone hoping to get a handle on their local weather
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Such wrongdoing encourages foreign corrupt practices'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Can Japan's new prime minister govern effectively?
In The Spotlight A 'popular gadfly' gets the top job
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Rail strikes: is Britain on track for a ‘summer of discontent’?
Speed Read The ‘biggest rail strike in modern history’ is planned for next week
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
‘See it. Say it. Sorted’: is it the end of the line for train announcements?
Speed Read The transport secretary has pledged a ‘bonfire of the banalities’ on England’s railways
By The Week Staff Published
-
UK to bring in airport Covid tests for arrivals
Speed Read MPs call for stricter border measures as South African variant of coronavirus spreads
By Chas Newkey-Burden Published
-
UK records biggest jump in transport use since pandemic began
Speed Read Monday rush hour sees spike in commuters across country as trains return to 90% of pre-coronavirus services
By Gabriel Power Last updated
-
Coronavirus: what are the odds of catching Covid-19 on a plane?
Speed Read Studies suggest air travel is safe despite concerns about air quality
By Holden Frith Last updated
-
Plane crashed ‘as distracted pilots discussed Covid fears’
Speed Read Preliminary report says ‘human error’ to blame for crash in Pakistan that claimed 98 lives
By Aaron Drapkin Last updated
-
Coronavirus: Virgin Atlantic tells staff to take unpaid leave
Speed Read Move comes amid warnings that global pandemic could bankrupt aviation industry
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
UK airlines call for multibillion-pound coronavirus bailout
Speed Read Demand comes ahead of ‘bloodiest week in British aviation history’
By The Week Staff Last updated