age of children cycling on pavement and law

playground
playground Posts: 2
edited May 2012 in Family & kids cycling forum
I have an 7 year old who is learning to cycle in the UK. I there a law that relates to children being allowed to cycle on the pavement, and do they have to be accompanied by an adult, and are they allowed to cycle on the pavement next to them?

Comments

  • bobs bikes
    bobs bikes Posts: 589
    a bit of a grey area.....
    the actual law states that it is illegal for anyone to cycle on the pavement in the uk. although anyone under 16 cannot be prosecuted for it.
    most police officers will turn a blind eye to kids on the pavement, unless they are dangerous to pedestrians.
  • Giraffoto
    Giraffoto Posts: 2,078
    Everything bob said was right, except that it's not really a grey area:
    bobs bikes wrote:
    the actual law states that it is illegal for anyone to cycle on the pavement in the uk, although anyone under 16 cannot be prosecuted for it.
    That's the law, no grey areas there. As far as the way individual police officers react to it, there is a bit of variation:
    most police officers will turn a blind eye to kids on the pavement, unless they are dangerous to pedestrians.
    . . .and that variation depends on you and your child. As long as you teach them to ride safely and show consideration to anyone else on the pavement (including getting off and walking the bike when it's crowded), the police probably won't mind
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  • schlepcycling
    schlepcycling Posts: 1,614
    And of course the age of criminal responsibility in the UK is 10 so a 7 year old can't be prosecuted anyway.
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  • Reddwarf1972
    Reddwarf1972 Posts: 49
    Why not teach him how to cycle on the road safely then he will know for when your not with him.
    You can't be with him all the time.
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  • divatz
    divatz Posts: 1
    And all this despite the fact that most kids still live within two kilometers of the school gate – they're not traveling any further, they're just not completing the journey under their own steam.

    Sadly, this is true not only in Australia but almost everywhere in the world.

    Kids are no longer being "pushed" by their parents to do activities that are implying just a little bit of physical effort. That's why obesity in kids and teens is now a lot more common that it was 20 or 30 years ago.

    And no ... walking or riding a bicycle to school are not the most important factors but this says a lot about people's mentality now-a-days.
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  • adamedwardsteather
    adamedwardsteather Posts: 19
    Thsi web site may be useful:

    http://www.bikehub.co.uk/featured-artic ... d-the-law/

    I use this issue when emailing local planners. Is your proposed on road bike lane safe enough for an 11 year old?

    Makes people think, usually.

    Adam
  • SmellTheGlove
    SmellTheGlove Posts: 697
    Not really a full answer to the OP but on the subject of accompanying a 7yo learner, there's no need to be on the pavement yourself. Ride the road adjacent - it'll keep you out of his/her way as well as everyone else's, and the littl'un will already be getting a feel for the independence of cycling.
    I have been doing this with my daughter - now 8 - ever since the stabilisers came off. Try it - you can still be eyes and ears for them, get them across junctions etc.
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