A CYCLIST has spoken of her fear about government plans to introduce a new law to tackle dangerous cycling.

Kelli Salone, of Hannington, responded with concern to the annoucement that an official review has been launched to investigate whether or not an offence of causing death by dangerous cycling is needed.

It follows the landmark case in which Kim Briggs died after being struck by a bicycle ridden by 20-year-old Charlie Alliston. The fixed-gear bike did not have a front brake, which is already an offence, but he was convicted under a Victorian law.

Now ministers are seeking independent legal advice on the introduction of a specific law with which to convict dangerous cyclists.

The review – which will cover the law in England, Scotland and Wales – will announce its findings in the new year.

Keen cyclist Kelli said: “Cyclists get a hard enough time as it is, and by bringing in these types of laws they will get a harder time still.

“I think it will be another excuse for car drivers and those who are ‘anti-cyclist’ to give us more grief.”

Kelli is worried that the plans, still very much in their infancy, will penalise cyclists unnecessarily and will lead to greater restrictions on cycling.

“How far are they going to go, where will it end?” she said.

Asked if the laws, if introduced, would affect the way in which she cycles, Kelli said: “I do not do anything dangerous, so it would not change the way I ride. I know there is nothing wrong with the way I ride.

“I’d say around 99.9 per cent of cyclists do behave themselves on the road, and I rarely see any cyclist riding dangerously or doing anything dangerous.”

However, South Swindon MP Robert Buckland said he thought the review a step forward.

He said: “I think it is sensible to take a look at ways in which the criminal law can be updated in order to deal with those rare but tragic cases such as the one we saw in London.

“The current position is that the criminal law of dangerous or careless driving applies to a ‘vehicle’, which is defined as something that is mechanically propelled.”

But he conceded that such a change of the law would not be without difficulties.

He said: “Any widening of that definition – ‘mechanically propelled’ – is not as straightforward as it may seem and would have to be very carefully drawn up.”

Charity Cycling UK says: "Cyclists, like all road users, should behave responsibly and within the law.

"The enforcement of road traffic rules, and penalties for breaching them, should be proportionate to the potential danger imposed on other people, especially vulnerable road users."

It points out that very nearly all the pedestrian fatalities (98.5%) and serious injuries (96%) that happen in collisions on a pavement/verge involve a motor vehicle, not a cycle.

"Collisions between cycles and pedestrians are more likely to happen in the roadway than on the pavement/verge," the charity says.

"From 2005-15, the roadway was the location for around four fifths of pedestrian fatalities and almost three quarters of pedestrian serious injuries, where a cycle was involved.

"From 2005-14, no pedestrians were killed by red light jumping cyclists, while around five a year were killed by red light jumping drivers."