Road lanes across Britain could become narrower in an effort to prevent cars overtaking cyclists, according to reports.
Newly published government guidance says the long-standard 12ft lane width, used for nearly 150 years, is now considered unsuitable because of the safety risks it poses to cyclists.
Under the rules, lanes on local roads should either be reduced to no more than 10ft 8in or widened to at least 12ft 10in, according to the Mail on Sunday.
The guidance says narrower lanes would signal to drivers that there is not enough space to safely overtake cyclists, while encouraging cyclists to ride more centrally.
Drawn up by Active Travel England, it will apply to billions of pounds’ worth of future road-building projects, and local authorities that ignore it risk losing transport funding.
But the plans have angered motoring groups, who warn the changes will worsen congestion and fuel greater conflict between drivers and cyclists.
Brian Gregory, policy director at the Alliance of British Drivers, warned that slowing all road users to cyclists’ pace on narrower lanes would come at a “huge economic cost to the country.”
He claims the new guidance is about “penalising motorists” rather than seeking cooperation between all road users and will make “driving unpleasant”.
Meanwhile, Howard Cox, founder of FairFuelUK, warns that narrowing already congested roads could heighten “frustration and anger” and harm businesses on local high streets.
“Active Travel England and the DfT should focus on ensuring cyclists use roads more sensibly, and stop hitting motorists at every opportunity,” he said.
ATE’s guidance follows a 2022 change to the Highway Code, which instructed drivers to leave at least 5ft of space when overtaking cyclists.
Led by former Olympic cyclist Chris Boardman, ATE warns that motorists using a standard 12ft-wide lane “may try to overtake cyclists when there is not enough space,” increasing the risk of collisions.
The guidance says lanes wider than 12ft 10in reduce that risk but “may still not be wide enough for motor vehicles to safely overtake cyclists.” In contrast, lanes narrower than 10ft 8in make it clear to drivers that they must be patient and not overtake.
The ATE guidance is not legally binding, however, councils are expected to follow it.
