New Cycling Law Falters

By John Stratford, 25th January 2012, 11:21

Comments

A new law proposed after the death of a 17 year old girl hit by a cyclist in Buckingham doesn't now look like it will come into being.

The family of Rhiannon Bennett - who was 17 when she was hit by a man cycling dangerously on Verney Close, Buckingham in April 2007 - have been fighting to get a new Dangerous and Reckess Cycling (Offences) Bill passed into law.

The new law would allow people who cause death by dangerous cycling to be jailed for up to 14 years.

The man who killed Rhiannon was convicted of causing death by dangerous cycling in 2008, but only had to pay a £2,200 fine.

The Bill was due to get its Second Reading on Friday 20 January 2012, but it was so far on the list of Bills to be read, this never happened.  This now means the Bill may well not become law.

Despite this, Rhiannon's family - who have been supported by the South Northamptonshire MP Andrea Leadsom - say they are going to keep on fighting to get sentences upped.

Rhiannon's mum Diana, who lives at Greatworth, near Brackley, Northamptonshire, told Heart "we're going to fight it all the way. If anything happens to another family and they lose a loved one in these circumstances there will hopefully be a better charge in place to give them some consolation that that person will be punished."

In a statement, the roads minister Mike Penning told Heart "I have the deepest sympathy for the Bennett family and the utmost respcet for the work they are doing to raise awareness on this issue.

"I apologise that my Department has not been in touch with the family following our meeting earlier this year.  However I would like to assure the family that they are not being ignored and that work is going on across Government to establish the best way to ensure justice in these sorts of cases.

"The Bennett family are always welcome to contact me or my Department if they have any questions or concerns and we will be in touch with the family shortly to update them on the work that is being done."