Rejected petition Require all cyclists using Welsh roads to be licensed, insured and display identification.
The road safety concerns of the Welsh Government are well documented but there is a glaring ommission with regard to cyclists safety on Welsh roads.
Cyclists are not required to obtain a cycling license which would ensure all road cyclists obtain a standard level of road safety knowledge and proficiency nor are they required to carry insurance or display identification when using Welsh roads.
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Currently anyone - regardless of road safety knowledge, can take a bicycle onto Welsh roads. There is no requirement for cyclists to be aware of the Highway Code, to carry insurance or to display identification.
This state of affairs is unfair to other road transport users who have to carry appropriate licenses and allows cyclists to avoid redress in the event of a road accident.
With the Welsh Government's focus on promoting and funding Active Travel and the proliferation of high speed electric bikes it is time to make all road users equal and subject to the same responsibilities as well as give the wider public reassurance that all road using cyclists are licensed and have a standard understanding of their responsibilities and of the restrictions on Welsh roads.
Why was this petition rejected?
It’s about something that the Senedd or Welsh Government is not responsible for.
The Government of Wales Act 2006 establishes the extent of the Senedd’s power to make new laws and amend existing law (also known as legislative competence). Schedules 7A and 7B of the 2006 Act set out the issues which are ‘restricted’ or ‘reserved’ - i.e. areas where the UK Parliament, not the Senedd, can legislate.
In order to make it a legal requirement for cyclists to be licensed, insured and display identification, a road traffic offence would have to be created for failing to do so. Road traffic offences are the responsibility of UK Parliament and not the Senedd or Welsh Government.
As a result, it is not possible for the Senedd to take the action called for by your petition.
Further information about the legislative powers of the Senedd can be found here:
https://senedd.wales/en/abthome/role-of-assembly-how-it-works/Pages/Powers.aspx
You may wish to consider petitioning the UK Parliament about this issue instead: https://petition.parliament.uk/
We only reject petitions that don’t meet the petition standards
Rejected petitions are published in the language in which they were submitted