The Freeway Code: 8 modifications it’s essential to know from 29 January 2022

The modifications observe a public session on a assessment of The Freeway Code to enhance highway security for folks strolling, biking and driving horses. It ran from July to October 2020, and acquired greater than 20,000 responses from the general public, companies and different organisations. Most individuals who responded had been in favour of all of the modifications.

The modifications had been made to The Freeway Code on Saturday 29 January 2022.

Listed here are 8 of the modifications that it’s essential to learn about.

1. Hierarchy of highway customers

The introduction part of The Freeway Code has been up to date to incorporate 3 new guidelines in regards to the new ‘hierarchy of highway customers’.

The hierarchy locations these highway customers most in danger within the occasion of a collision on the prime of the hierarchy. It doesn’t take away the necessity for everybody to behave responsibly.

It’s necessary that each one highway customers:

• are conscious of The Freeway Code
• are thoughtful to different highway customers
• perceive their accountability for the protection of others

The three new guidelines are numbered H1, H2, and H3.

2. Individuals crossing the highway at junctions

The up to date code clarifies that:

• when persons are crossing or ready to cross at a junction, different site visitors ought to give approach
• if folks have began crossing and site visitors desires to show into the highway, the folks crossing have precedence and the site visitors ought to give approach
• folks driving, driving a bike or biking should give solution to folks on a zebra crossing and folks strolling and biking on a parallel crossing

A parallel crossing is much like a zebra crossing, however features a cycle route alongside the black and white stripes.

3. Strolling, biking or driving in shared areas

There may be new steering within the code about routes and areas that are shared by folks strolling, biking and driving horses.

Individuals biking, driving a horse or driving a horse-drawn automobile ought to respect the protection of individuals strolling in these areas, however folks strolling must also take care to not impede or endanger them.

Individuals biking are requested to:

• not move folks strolling, driving a horse or driving a horse-drawn automobile intently or at excessive pace, notably from behind
• decelerate when mandatory and let folks strolling know they’re there (for instance, by ringing their bell)
• do not forget that folks strolling could also be deaf, blind or partially sighted
• not move a horse on the horse’s left

4. Positioning within the highway when biking

There may be up to date steering for folks biking about positioning themselves which incorporates:

• driving within the centre of their lane on quiet roads, in slower-moving site visitors and on the method to junctions or highway narrowings
• preserving at the least 0.5 metres (simply over 1.5 ft) away from the kerb edge (and additional the place it’s safer) when driving on busy roads with autos transferring sooner than them

Individuals biking in teams

The up to date code explains that folks biking in teams:

• ought to be thoughtful of the wants of different highway customers when driving in teams
• can experience 2 abreast – and it may be safer to take action, notably in bigger teams or when accompanying youngsters or much less skilled riders

Individuals biking are requested to pay attention to folks driving behind them and permit them to overhaul (for instance, by transferring into single file or stopping) when it’s protected to take action.

Individuals biking passing parked autos

The up to date code explains that folks biking ought to:

• take care when passing parked autos, leaving sufficient room (a door’s width or 1 metre) to keep away from being hit if a automotive door is opened
• be careful for folks strolling into their path

5. Overtaking when driving or biking

There may be up to date steering on protected passing distances and speeds for folks driving or driving a bike when overtaking weak highway customers, together with:

• leaving at the least 1.5 metres (5 ft) when overtaking folks biking at speeds of as much as 30mph, and giving them extra space when overtaking at larger speeds
• passing folks driving horses or driving horse-drawn autos at speeds underneath 10 mph and permitting at the least 2 metres (6.5 ft) of area
• permitting at the least 2 metres (6.5 ft) of area and preserving to a low pace when passing folks strolling within the highway (for instance, the place there’s no pavement)

Wait behind them and don’t overtake if it’s unsafe or not attainable to fulfill these clearances.

Individuals biking passing slower-moving or stationary site visitors

The up to date code confirms that folks biking could move slower-moving or stationary site visitors on their proper or left.

They need to proceed with warning as folks driving could not be capable to see them. That is notably necessary:

• on the method to junctions
• when deciding whether or not it’s protected to move lorries or different massive autos

6. Individuals biking at junctions

The code has been up to date to make clear that when turning into or out of a aspect highway, folks biking ought to give solution to folks strolling who’re crossing or ready to cross.

There may be new recommendation about new particular cycle services at some junctions.

Some junctions now embrace small cycle site visitors lights at eye-level top, which can enable cyclists to maneuver individually from or earlier than different site visitors. Individuals biking are inspired to make use of these services the place they make their journey safer and simpler.

There may be additionally new steering for folks biking at junctions with no separate services.

The code recommends that folks biking ought to proceed as in the event that they had been driving a automobile the place there aren’t any separate bicycle owner services. This consists of positioning themselves within the centre of their chosen lane, the place they really feel ready to do that safely. That is to:

• make them as seen as attainable
• keep away from being overtaken the place this may be harmful

Individuals biking turning proper

The code now consists of recommendation for folks biking utilizing junctions the place indicators and markings inform them to show proper in 2 phases. These are:

• stage 1 – when the site visitors lights flip inexperienced, go straight forward to the situation marked by a cycle image and switch arrow on the highway, after which cease and wait
• stage 2 – when the site visitors lights on the far aspect of the junction (now dealing with the folks biking) flip inexperienced, full the manoeuvre

Individuals biking have precedence when going straight forward at junctions

The code clarifies that when folks biking are going straight forward at a junction, they’ve precedence over site visitors ready to show into or out of a aspect highway, except highway indicators or markings point out in any other case.

Individuals biking are requested to be careful for folks driving intending to show throughout their path, as folks driving forward could not be capable to see them.

7. Individuals biking, driving a horse and driving horse-drawn autos on roundabouts

The code has been up to date to make clear that folks driving or driving a bike ought to give precedence to folks biking on roundabouts. The brand new steering will say folks driving and or driving a bike ought to:

• not try and overtake folks biking inside that particular person’s lane
• enable folks biking to maneuver throughout their path as they journey across the roundabout

The code already defined that folks biking, driving a horse and driving a horse-drawn automobile could keep within the left-hand lane of a roundabout once they intend to proceed throughout or across the roundabout.

Steerage has been added to elucidate that folks driving ought to take additional care when getting into a roundabout to verify they don’t lower throughout folks biking, driving a horse or driving a horse-drawn automobile who’re persevering with across the roundabout within the left-hand lane.

8. Parking, charging and leaving autos

The code recommends a brand new approach when leaving autos. It’s generally known as the ‘Dutch Attain’.

The place folks driving or passengers in a automobile are ready to take action, they need to open the door utilizing their hand on the other aspect to the door they’re opening. For instance, utilizing their left hand to open a door on their right-hand aspect.

This can make them flip their head to look over their shoulder behind them. They’re then much less prone to trigger damage to:

• folks biking or driving a bike passing on the highway
• folks on the pavement

Utilizing an electrical automobile cost level

For the primary time, the code consists of steering about utilizing electrical automobile charging factors.

When utilizing one, folks ought to:

• park near the cost level and keep away from creating a visit hazard for folks strolling from trailing cables
• show a warning signal should you can
• return charging cables and connectors neatly to minimise the hazard to different folks and keep away from creating an impediment for different highway customers

Discover out about all of the modifications

In whole, 10 sections of The Freeway Code have been up to date, with 50 guidelines being added or up to date.

Yow will discover a abstract of all of the modifications in The Freeway Code updates listing on GOV.UK.

Keep updated

The Freeway Code is crucial studying for everybody. It’s up to date recurrently, so it’s necessary that everybody reads it – not simply learner drivers.

Lots of the guidelines within the code are authorized necessities, and should you disobey these guidelines you’re committing a prison offence.

If you don’t observe the opposite guidelines within the code, it may be utilized in proof in court docket proceedings to determine legal responsibility.

You possibly can:

The ebook has a brand new cowl design so it’s straightforward to recognise.

Different methods to remain updated

To remain updated, you may also: