Road Safety

Highlighted as a priority by all fourteen districts of Lancashire, the Lancashire Road Safety Partnership aims to reduce road casualties through the management of speed, enforcement, engineering, emergency response, driver education and training. The top five priorities are:

• Young Road Users (17-24 years)
• Motorcyclists
• Cyclists
• Careless, Dangerous and Inappropriate Driving
• Drink & Drug Driving

The 2022 – 2023 statistics have not yet been published at the time of writing and so, no figures can be compared. However, the Lancashire Road Safety Partners are collectively striving towards ‘ambition zero’; no one to lose their life on Lancashire’s roads. This is through the Safer Systems Approach which promotes safer speeds, safer road use, safer roads and roadsides, safer vehicles and post-crash response.

https://lancsroadsafety.co.uk/

Report a speed concern

Speed Concern Submission – Lancashire Road Safety Partnership (lancsroadsafety.co.uk)

Operation Snap

Op SNAP is a Police response to the increasing submissions of video and photographic evidence from members of the public in relation to witnessed driving offences.

FAQ – LANCASHIRE POLICE – Lancashire Constabulary

Link to submit footage – https://unitedkingdom1cpp-portal.digital-policing.co.uk/lancashire/appeal/public-dashcam-submission

Moto nuisance

Anti-social motorbike use is more than just a nuisance, it’s a danger to the rider and the public.

Criminal activity involving off-road bikes is an issue across the UK. There have been incidents of off-road bikes being ridden illegally on roads, in parks, on pavements and in other public spaces, resulting in injuries to both riders and members of the public. There has also been damage to parks, fields, green spaces and private property.

We want to increase the amount of useful community information given to us on the criminal use of off-road bikes, in order to help to tackle this crime, and to make our streets safer.

Help keep your community safe and tell us what you know about bikes being used illegally:

• The exact location, date and time the bike/s were seen
• Anything distinctive – colour, make, did the bike have a number plate?
• Where are they stored?
• Who’s riding them illegally, what were they wearing?
• Who’s causing criminal damage? 
• Who’s putting the public and themselves in danger?

Report to

Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111

Lancashire Constabulary on 101

Report an Incident – Lancashire Constabulary – Report Online

Off-road bikes and the law

Off-road vehicles include moto-cross, trial and endurance bikes, mini motos, quad bikes and some other mechanically propelled bikes.

Off-road bikes are specially designed for off-road use only, and NOT for road use. They must comply with Construction and Use regulations 1986, and be built to a specific standard in order to be ridden on a public road. 

If the bike is NOT built to this specific standard, you can only ride an off-road bike legally if it is on private land and you have the land owner’s permission, and ride with due care and attention.

Land owned by the local council is not classed as private land. Council land includes beaches, promenades, car parks, playgrounds and parks.

Riders not complying with the above face having bikes seized and could be banned from driving, fined, or sent to prison.

Quad bikes

Most quad bikes do not meet road safety standards and therefore cannot be used on the road. 

They need to be registered, taxed and have an MOT (if needed) to be used on the road, and the rider needs to check with the manufacturer if their quad bike has been approved for road use. 

More information can be found on the government’s website: Quad Bikes: the rules.

E-bikes

These electric bikes are known as ‘electrically assisted pedal cycles’ (EAPCs).

You can ride an electric bike if you’re 14 or over, as long as it meets certain requirements.

If a bike meets EAPC requirements, it’s classed as a normal pedal bike. This means you can ride it on cycle paths and anywhere else pedal bikes are allowed. Meeting these requirements also means you do not need a licence to ride one and it does not need to be registered, taxed or insured. 

More information can be found on the government’s website: Electric bikes: licensing, tax and insurance.

Legislation

Section 192, A Road

Highway or any other road to which the public have access and includes bridges over which a road passes. This includes footpaths, bridleways and cycle tracks.

A Highway

A way over which all members of the public have the right to pass and repass without hindrance by Horse/Vehicle/Foot and includes public footpaths, bridleways, bridges over which they pass.

Definition of a Motor Vehicle – Section 185 Road Traffic Act 1988

Any vehicle which is propelled by mechanical means, or constructed or adapted – including Petrol, Gas, Diesel, Electricity or Steam

No Insurance- Section 165 Road Traffic Act 1988 Road or other Public Place

Section 165 Requirement to provide names and addresses and owners of vehicles and production of Insurance/test certificate or failure to do so at the time or within 7 days at a police station

Section 143 and schedule 2 Road Traffic Offenders Act – Use a motor vehicle on a road/public place without third party insurance

Drive a motor vehicle otherwise than in accordance with a licence

Section 87(1) and schedule 2 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act.

Endorsable offence for those who have been granted a licence.

Non-Endorsable in the case where no licence is in force or no licence in force for the class of vehicle.

Section 59 Police Reform Act 2002

Using vehicles in a manner to cause alarm, distress or annoyance. Power to stop /seize the vehicle or enter any premises on which you have reasonable grounds for believing the vehicle to be.

Section 44 Vehicle Excise and Registration Act

Fraudulent use of a vehicle licence/trade licence/registration mark/registration document

Sec 172 Road Traffic Act 1988

Legal obligation for the registered keeper to provide details of the driver at the time of an alleged motoring offence.

Also sub category for hate crime – Third Party Reporting Centres

Become a Third-Party Reporting Centre

If your organisation would like to consider becoming a Third Party Reporting Centre, please email inclusion@lancashire.police.uk