Bike safety campaign launches across Bedfordshire

With a focus on reducing casualties involving bikers across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire, Road Policing officers will be out on patrol across the three counties during a national 2 Wheels campaign next week (11-17 April).

As we move into the warmer months, we will see an increase in motorbikes and bicycles on our roads. Police are encouraging riders to ensure their bikes are roadworthy before heading out.

This includes:

• Checking tyres are pumped up and not worn
• Ensuring lights and reflectors are working
• Safety equipment such as helmets fit correctly

Police also want to educate other road users on the rules when it comes to bikes and motorbikes, including changes to the Highway Code about positioning of cyclists and the hierarchy of road users. For more details about these changes, visit the Gov.uk website.

Last year, 33 cyclists and 42 motorcyclists were killed or seriously injured on Bedfordshire’s roads. Officers want to ensure people are taking all precautions to ensure the safety of those on two wheels.  

Inspector Ed Finn at Bedfordshire Police said: “Everyone who uses our roads should be looking out for one another; whether that’s drivers taking more care when overtaking, or cyclists and motorcyclists ensuring their bikes and safety equipment are roadworthy.

“Your bicycles and motorbikes may have been in storage over the winter months and therefore we are advising everyone to check them over or get a professional to do so.”

As part of this campaign, officers would also like to remind people about the law when it comes to e-scooters, giving advice wherever possible and taking action if necessary.

E-Scooters that are not subject to an authorised trial can only be used on private land to which the public does not have access, with the permission of the landowner. It is against the law to use a privately owned e-scooter in public.

The 2 Wheels campaign from the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) runs between 11 and 17 April. As well as officer patrols, safety advice will be shared across our social media channels from 4 April.

Locally officers will be in some retail outlets engaging with cyclists to give safety tips over the coming weeks.