Cyclists could face life sentences for killing pedestrians if new law passed in England and Wales

Reckless cycling currently carries a maximum two-year jail term

A cyclist in London
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Cyclists could face life imprisonment in England and Wales if they kill pedestrians by dangerous or reckless cycling under government amendments to the crime and policing bill.

Dangerous or reckless cycling is currently punished with a maximum two-year custodial sentence. But the crime of causing death by dangerous cycling would be aligned with driving laws under amendments put forward on Thursday, according to the Department for Transport.

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Tom Thewlis
News and Features Writer

After previously working in higher education, Tom joined Cycling Weekly in 2022 and hasn't looked back. He's been covering professional cycling ever since; reporting on the ground from some of the sport's biggest races and events, including the Tour de France, Paris-Roubaix and the World Championships. His earliest memory of a bike race is watching the Tour on holiday in the early 2000's in the south of France - he even made it on to the podium in Pau afterwards. His favourite place that cycling has taken him is Montréal in Canada.

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