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news
M25 cyclist (picture supplied).PNGCyclist spotted on M25 motorway on Surrey – the second one seen there during lockdown
The country’s motorways may be a lot quieter now, but it’s still illegal to ride a bicycle on them – although as one road.cc reader discovered, that isn’t deterring some from taking to the M25.
The cyclist Phil snapped on the motorway at 8.30am on Friday morning is the second he has seen there in recent weeks.
He saw the rider close to junction 9, heading south towards junction 8 for Reigate.
“I'd pulled up behind him, and slowed down as there were a few artics at the junction,” he explained. ”He seemed to be quite happy.
“I drew up alongside and shouted at him that did he know he was on a motorway? He kind of looked surprised and pulled off on to the hard shoulder.
“I didn't stop, but called 999 at the next junction. The Police were aware and had sent a few cars out.
“Since lockdown this is the second cyclist I have seen on the M25. Just nuts, and I have no idea why they do it, he added.
It’s not the first time this year that a cyclist has been spotted on the busy motorway in the same area.
In January, Highways England used overhead warning signs between junctions 8 and 9 of the M25 to alert motorists to the presence of a rider.
The signs read, “Cyclist in road – slow” and instructed drivers to cut their speed to 50mph.
Traffic police were alerted but were unable to find the cyclist.
Following the imposition of the lockdown last month, a cyclist in Cheshire was told by police, “This does not constitute your daily exercise,” after he was caught riding on the M60.
> “This does not constitute your daily exercise,” police tell cyclist stopped on M60
And last week, the North West Motorway Police team posted a photo to Twitter of a woman pushing her bike along the M57 while “taking her daily exercise.”
Officers said that she was safely taken off the motorway and reported for the offence.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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37 comments
Back in January I took a wrong turn. I was aiming for the A40, but an emergency slip road of the M40 had its gate left open, and was only 150 m before where I wanted to turn.
It was 3:30am, so I couldn't see the "Authorized Vehicles Only" on the ajar gate. So I blithely rode down the slip road, then realised that there was a hard shoulder to my left, and 3 lanes to my right! Well, I pulled onto the hard shoulder, and trundled to the next junction at 20 mph (no mean feat on my city bike!). The next junction was only 1 mile down the road, for Oxford. Oh, and then another 1.5 miles of official "motorway", but it was 2+HS lanes, and merely a spur for the A40.
You know what? The hard shoulder was delightfully wide. I rode to the left of it, good seperation from the traffic going past (even at that time, there was a fairly regular passing of a vehicle). But I didn't feel at all like I was going to be hit. It felt safer than riding on most roads, full stop.
The spur bit was really quiet. I could comfortably have ridden in Lane 1 there - or easily have pulled into Lane 2 without incoveniencing anybody. Of course, when it became the A40, it was effectively the same road, but without the hard shoulder! I was quite comfortable riding in L1, but did regularly check that my rear light was still working, a paranoia that didn't afflict me on the motorway!
No, my main concern on the motorway was the fact that it was illegal to be there. Once on the spur, I was even comfortable enough to take a photo...
Ive done it on the M23 London To Brighton and back home, BUT there was a hard shoulder in those days, and talking about hardshoulders, there was word that Smart Motorways were dangerous and about to be done away with, so they,ve spent over 3 years converting M23 to Smart, now thats Smart
Ive seen so many E bikes during this so called Lockdown its never been Lockdown, its Social Isolation, wait till they get on the motorways, bloody things, been out, done. a few miles, felling the effect, and one comes past, EVERNING, the words F off, P Off and more come to mind
Wat ?
I've commented before that I'd much rather ride on the hard shoulder of a motorway (4m wide at least, and most vehicles in the inside lane doing 56mph) than the side of a standard A-road, either single or dual carriageway (most vehicles doing 60+ less than a metre away).
It's not news that many people-on-bikes don't know the highway code, most probably think it's just fine to ride there. And now it's nice and quiet, can hardly blame them.
Nobody's going to be taking his KOMs for a while.
I thought motorways were the safest roads in the UK, so apart from the law what is the issue with riding on the hard shoulder when you'd have to ride in the carriageway on dualed A road with similar traffic levels and speeds?
Most motorways don't have hard shoulders now*. TBH, it isn't just the cyclists, any slow vehicles including motorised ones are not allowed on there either.
However I don't get why specifically when as you say, 70mph dual carriageways exist that unless marked as (m), dont have the same restrictions on slower traffic.
*The hard shoulder is where all the crap off the roads ends up so you are quite likely to blow a tyre on there anyway.
There are only about 500 miles of smart motorway.
Why would you want to?
Not really similar traffic and speeds, as the speed limits are lower and there are also sliower vehicles allowed on a roads.
Not often I have to say this to a cyclist but "Read your Highway Code!" : )
Don't get me wrong, I'm not a time trialist & so don't venture onto dualed A-Roads unless I can't help it but there is one where I used to live on the direct route into town.
On the odd occasion I'd hop onto it for two junctions to cut some time off my journey. Not pleasant with some close high speed passes until nearing my turn off we'd hit stationary traffic & then I'd filter. They then converted the inside lane into a bus lane & it completely removed the anxiety of the high speed pass (bar the slip roads* Jeebus).
I'm assuming that riding on a motorway hard shoulder would be similar to that experience.
*Of course on some A roads they provide you with these "lovely" facilities so you can cross the slip road at right angles before returning to the inside traffic lane.
When you say read the highway code, does this mean you think the speed limits on an a dualed A are the same as a motorway?
Aren't they? apart from PSVs and goods vehicles I thought they were the same?
Yep, taking Scotland out of it, there are a couple of classes that should do 60mph and not 70mph that they are allowed on Motorways but otherwise the speeds are pretty much matched that I would side with Tarquin on this. Especially as we know they will still do motorway speeds in most cases.
You made me double check to be sure but yes, dualed A roads are 70 & motorways are 70. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/general-rules-techniques-and-advice-for-all-drivers-and-riders-103-to-158
Did not not notice the differences in the last 2 columns?
Bit pedantic hisuite as the majority of the traffic there is no change. Especially as your first argument was that:-
"Not really similar traffic and speeds, as the speed limits are lower and there are also sliower vehicles allowed on a roads."
I think they're the same because they are.
A lot of people die every year having been struck on the hard shoulder. The Highway Code advice for being on the hard shoulder stops short (just) of telling you to run like fuck. The messages are clear, perhaps none more so than if you use an emergency phone: "always face the traffic".
TLDR: parking up alongside a lane full of fast-moving traffic is bloody dangerous, I assume that cycling on the hard shoulder, eyes front, counts too.
About 100 people a year apparently.
I'm not saying it is safe, I'm just saying I don't see riding on a hard shoulder out of traffic as being less safe than riding on the inside lane of a dualed A road in traffic. One is against the law & the other isn't.
But I'm not campaigning for a change in the law or anything, just wish the media wouldn't get into such a hand-wringing state about a minor incident when at the same time there will have been a lane full of people doing 80+ tailgateing each other.
Just because cycling on an A road dual carriageway is legal, that doesn't make it safe. I've done it in the past myself but now I look back and ask myself why. There are almost always alternative routes that are less stressful and not much longer.
Where motorways still have hard shoulders, they are blood dangerous. If you ever have to use one, get out of your vehicle ASAP, and over the crash barrier. And keep yourself at least 3-4m from the guardrail too as it if is hit by a truck, it will deflect. You need to be 'upstream' from your vehicle too as if it's hit by a large vehicle while you're waiting, it could end up on top of you otherwise.
I refer you to my earlier comment...
Motorway hard shoulders are dangerous. I don't play Russian Roullette.
Back when I was temping I spent a few months litter picking on the hard shoulder and verges of the M3 and the following year we were clearing slab ditches. We were wearing HiVIz, so very protected.
No one died.
That is a nice notion and is true for the vehicles that are supposed to be on it, but not so for a cyclist when an lorry passes you at 60mph.
"He kind of looked surprised and pulled off on to the hard shoulder."
"fnarr fnarr!"
No, it turned out to be a turn-off..
I mean. I wouldn't try it myself. But there isn't a huge amount of consistency to banning cyclists from fast roads in the Uk.
It's all kind of irrelevant when many dual carriageways have been "upgraded" you're allowed to cycle on. Hell, on normal A roads many drivers bomb along at 70+. Frankly it's all academic.
I once rode the A12. I needed a part for my car, the only place I could find that had the part was in Billericay - Mrs Badger and I lived in Wanstead at the time.
It's not an experience I'd wish to repeat.
Riding the A12, not living in Wanstead I mean
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