Cyclists caught breaking speed limit – but police can’t stop them

The group was given words of advice by officers - but some are calling for speeding laws to apply to cyclists as they would car drivers

A group of cyclists were stopped by police officers after they were spotted riding at nearly 40mph down a 30mph road in Devon.

While speed limits do not apply to cyclists, Devon and Cornwall’s Roads Policing Team explained they were asked “to be mindful” of their speed and how this could affect a collision.

In a 30-second clip shared by the force on Twitter, the bikers can be seen speeding down winding roads and through pedestrian crossings shortly after 9.30am on Sunday morning. A visible speedometer shows the group to be travelling between 37 to 39mph during the descent.

“Cyclists, please be mindful of your speeds and just how this will effect [sic] you in the event of a collision,” the police tweet said.

“This group today on Dartmoor observed travelling at near 40mph on a 30mph restricted road. All stopped and offered appropriate words of advice.”

The Highway Code does not set out speed limits for cyclists in the same manner as vehicles, meaning that cyclists cannot be fined.

They can however be charged with dangerous cycling under the 1988 Road and Traffic Act Section 28, which sets out that an offence has been committed if “the way they ride falls far below what could be expected of a competent and careful cyclist”.

Devon Police filmed the group hitting speeds of 39mph in a 30mph zone (Devon and Cornwall Roads Policing Team)

Attracting nearly a million views, the video has divided social media with a number of people calling for the same speed limits to apply to all road users.

“Stopping a bike like this in an emergency at 40mph downhill is nigh on impossible,” one wrote. “A bike travelling like this can kill someone on impact.”

Another said: “Breaking the law or not it is totally irresponsible to travel on any vehicle at 40 mph in a 30 mph limit. It’s 30 for a reason.”

However, road safety campaigner Cycling Mikey retaliated by stressing that there was “no evidence” of an offence in the video.

He wrote: “They weren’t breaking the law. The speed limit doesn’t apply to cyclists. That’s probably quite reasonable when a bicycle weighs maybe 10kg and an average car 1.5-2 tonnes.”