It has been widely reported in the Times and elsewhere in the last day or so that London Mayor, Ken Livingstone is considering introducing a scheme of cycle registration and number plates in a bid to crack down on law-breaking cyclists.
Whilst I accept that law-breaking cyclists give all cyclists a bad name, this needs to be dealt with by appropriate enforcement action by the police. Ken’s plan won’t resolve the problem but it may well put people off cycling. It is ill thought out for a number of reasons.
Firstly, it will deter cycling. Cycling in London has increased by 50% in the last few years and this is good news. Making cycling more difficult will just increase congestion on the roads and crowding on the public transport system.
Secondly, it is not the way to solve the problem. The police have powers to give spot fines to law-breaking cyclists and they should use them. Livingstone is in charge of the police, so he has the power ensure that they enforce the law.
Thirdly, Livingstone really hasn’t thought out the administrative issues that this idea presents. There are well over 30million bicycles in the UK. Does he really want them all to be registered and to have number plates – even my 7-year-old son’s bike? And who will end up paying the bill for the office of the ‘Bike Tsar’ – the local council taxpayer no doubt.
Finally, the camera technology won’t work. When Livingstone introduced the congestion charge, he exempted motorcycles because the cameras photograph the front number plates of cars entering the zone - which motorbikes do not have. The same problem would apply with cycles.
Livingstone seems to think that he might be able to persuade all the London Boroughs to support him on this. Sutton Council won’t be doing so in a hurry.
More info: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/5225346.stm
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