“This gives errant drivers carte blanche to do what they like”: Police tell camera cyclists they are “unable to deal” with motorists driving in bike lanes or the wrong way down one-way streets, while warning cyclists to “not confront” dangerous drivers

New guidance issued to road users submitting footage of careless or dangerous driving to the Metropolitan Police, which notes that officers are “unable to deal” with instances of motorists driving in cycle or bus lanes, or the wrong way down one-way streets, will give “errant drivers carte blanche to do what they like”, cyclists have said.

The Met has also been criticised for advising cyclists in London that their complaints will not be dealt with if they “actively” confront or engage with a motorist committing a driving offence, especially if their behaviour could be deemed to be “aggressive, unacceptable, or not conforming to the Met Police values”.

Faced with an apparent surge in submissions of footage of alleged driving offences, this week the Met Police issued updated guidance to Londoners submitting camera footage, seemingly with the aim of narrowing the breadth of road offences featured in these complaints.

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The correspondence, seen by road.cc, reads: “Due to the high volume of reports received in this office we will be unable to provide any further updates, and the only time you will be contacted further is if we need to check your availability to attend court. It is anticipated that in the near future we will be able to provide a link which will publish case status updates.”

The email continued that “in order for the Police to secure the best evidence from you and enhance opportunities to progress these cases, we would like to draw your attention to the below when considering reporting cases to us in the future”.

The new guidelines include warnings that complaints will not be accepted where footage has been “lifted directly from social media”, that footage should not be uploaded to social media until the case is concluded, that the footage cannot be edited in any way, and that the clips will be shared with the offending driver.

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The guidelines also advise that a maximum of two pieces of footage no longer than three minutes will be considered, that the offending vehicle’s number plate must be clearly visible, that the date and time stamp on the video must be correct, and that officers will not seek or request footage from third parties on the complainant’s behalf, with decisions “purely based on the evidence submitted”.

Notably, the guidelines also stipulate the following:

Due to the decriminalisation of a large number of traffic offences we are unable to deal with any parking allegations except those relating to white zigzag lines.

We are also unable to deal with any offences relating to driving/riding in bus/cycle lanes and the majority of offences relating to contravention of road traffic signs. This includes, but is not limited to, ‘keep left’, ‘no motor vehicle’, ‘one-way street’ and ‘no left/right turn’ signs.

We are unable to deal with allegations relating to vehicle document offences such as driving without a licence, insurance, or tax.

Do not seek to actively confront, reprimand, or engage with drivers/riders in any way. If your conduct is deemed to be aggressive, unacceptable, or does not conform to the Met Police values, cases will not be proceeded with.

Our decision in these cases is final and we will not engage in further communication.

“Something’s got to give”

These guidelines, especially those concerning the reporting of motorists driving in cycle lanes and the success of a report hinging on the victim’s reaction to a close pass or instance of careless driving, has been the subject of criticism from cyclists since the updated email was first issued this week.

One London cyclist who received the email, after submitting footage of careless driving to the Met this week, told road.cc that the new advice appears intent on “putting people off” reporting close passes or poor driving.

The cyclist also said the Met’s inability to deal with footage of motorists driving in bike lanes – which since 2003 has been designated as a ‘civil’ contravention – will give drivers “carte blanche to do what they like”.

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“This guidance raises a few interesting points, like not acting on footage of drivers going the wrong way up a one-way street, or driving along cycle lanes,” the cyclist – known by as Chaponabike on social media, and who was the subject of criticism this week after posting a video of a taxi driver moving into a cycle lane to allow an emergency vehicle to pass – told road.cc.

“I fear this just gives errant drivers carte blanche to do what they like, without fear of prosecution. I understand there has been a huge increase in journey cam footage being submitted, as road users get sick and tired of witnessing bad driving, and decide to take matters into their own hands, video it, and submit the footage to the Met Police.

“It’s clear they’re lacking capacity to deal with it, as the number of positive actions I’ve received following journey cam footage submission has dwindled since the start of 2024.

“We understand the police have got far more serious matters to deal with, but whilst the government pumps money into road infrastructure projects, to the tune of £8bn a year, why can’t some of that budget be used to fund better enforcement and encourage more road safety initiatives?”

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They continued: “Something’s got to give here. Thousands of road users (drivers, horse riders, and cyclists alike), are now regularly submitting footage of careless driving to the Met Police.

“This surely highlights that careless driving is a huge problem, but that we lack the capacity to deal with it, as the police are being defunded, road safety statutes are being decriminalised, and guidance like this from the Met Police just seems to put people off from submitting incidents in the first place.

“The mountain of recorded careless driving incidents is going to get bigger and bigger. People aren’t going to stop buying dash cams, and any driver anywhere is guaranteed to witness some form of careless road use, whenever they leave the house.”

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Meanwhile, PC Mark Hodson, one of the pioneers behind police close pass operations and an advocate for third-party reporting from cyclists, criticised the Met’s claim that they are unable to deal with cycle lane infractions, arguing that “a dangerous position is endorsable [subject to a Fixed Penalty Notice], so only the police can action”.

He continued: “Although a local authority can make an order to decriminalise enforcement in accordance with the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions Act 2002, and retain the funds received from penalties, including parking regulations on yellow/red lines and parking spaces, ‘they do not include endorsable offences and offences related to obstruction, which the police will continue to be responsible for on a road/public place’.”

When contacted by road.cc, a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said they will look into the matter, but that it will “take some time to confirm”.