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Police reject scheme to crack down on drivers overtaking cyclists too close

We filmed a close pass which shows Hugh's bike physically shake with the speed of the car which overtakes him too closely. You can watch the video below:


We have been informed by Greater Manchester Police that the offending driver in our video should now be booked onto to a Driver Awareness Course, which would be the first option for someone committing a due care and attention offence, if they have no points for the same offence in the past three years. Although this remains unconfirmed after we since followed up the incident with GMP, we hope he has been reprimanded in some way.

The initiative which sees undercover police posing as cyclists to catch drivers who overtake dangerously close has reduced the amount of cyclists killed or seriously injured by 20% over the last year.

Plain-clothed police officers radio the details of 'close-pass' drivers to colleagues to pull over by a police car and also wear body cameras to capture any offences to record the evidence.

Operation 'Close Pass', which was introduced by West Midlands police last year, was put into practice in Manchester earlier this year. Police have pulled over 178 drivers and made more than 350 prosecutions using camera footage since 2016.

However, one police department has rejected the scheme arguing it would cause motorists to slow down behind cyclists meaning they would be unable to overtake.

Cambridgeshire Police also rejected operation 'Close Pass' as it would mean drivers would have to move into the opposite lane to overtake the cyclist, adding how the roads in Cambridge city are narrow and often very congested.

Cycling campaign groups have argued how the the city's narrow streets make the need to crack down on close passes even more important and would rather maintain the speed and flow of traffic than the safety of vulnerable road users.

Hugh Potter, Partner and Head of personal injury at Potter Rees Dolan, said:

Think again Cambridge Police. You're promoting potentially dangerous overtaking to avoid precisely what? Car drivers slowing down!

Hugh Potter is a personal injury solicitor with Potter Rees Dolan. Should you have any queries about the issues raised in this article and wish to speak with Hugh or any other member of the team please contact us on 0161 237 5888.

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