Should cyclist and e-scooter riders face the same road safety regulations as drivers?

That’s the question being raised by Baroness McIntosh in the House of Lords.

She believes mobile phone laws while riding bikes and e-scooters to be the same as those for drivers.

Crashing hazards

First reported by BBC News, Baroness McIntosh of Pickering wants a law change. It follows 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. The rider was 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”. She is challenging the Department for Transport on why it has not addressed the issue.

The former tory minister says e-scooters are “even more of a concern”. According to the peer, some people are left feeling “absolutely terrorised” by those using them “irresponsibly”.

Specific and general

Responding to the issue, roads minister Baroness Vere admitted there is no specific offence for a cyclist using a phone. However, she adds that 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.