January 26th, 2022.



The Highway Code will be updated from the 29th of January, with eight changes the Department for Transport and Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency advises will improve the safety of people walking, cycling and riding horses.

The changes follow a public consultation on a review of The Highway Code, which ran from July to October 2020, and received more than 20,000 responses from the public, businesses and  other organisations. Most people who responded were in favour of all the changes.

The latest changes include;
• Giving people walking across and people cycling going straight ahead priority when turning in and out of junctions

• Leaving at least 1.5 metres when overtaking people cycling at speeds of up to 30mph, and give them more space when overtaking at higher speeds  

• Passing people riding a horse or driving a horse-drawn vehicle at speeds under 10 mph and allow at least 2 metres of space

• Allowing at least 2 metres of space and keep to a low speed when passing a person who is walking in the road

• Encouraging people driving vehicles to open their doors with the hand furthest from the door, to help them look over their shoulder behind them to see people cycling or walking nearby

• People cycling may ride in the centre of the road or two abreast for their own safety, whilst allowing others to overtake when it is safe for them to do so


More about these changes can be found on GOV.UK