Highway Code for Cyclists: 23 Essential Cycling Rules to Know

There are lots of misconceptions around what it is legal and illegal for cyclists to do on the roads, or even what cyclists should be doing to be a considerate road user. This confusion has resulted in many an argument between motorists and cyclists, and contributes towards accidents on the roads.

In early 2022, the Highway Code was updated to improve clarity, implementing a hierarchy of road users depending on the amount of risk they pose. This gave cyclists some more freedoms to better protect themselves, for example formalising the advice to ride in the middle of the lane where safer, but also some more responsibilities when it comes to protecting more vulnerable road users like pedestrians and horses.

Here, we’ll take you through all of the laws, rules and guidelines in the UK Highway Code for cyclists, explaining what you legally can and cannot do, what you should do for your own safety and the safety of others, and explain how these rules have changed from the previous Highway Code.

UK Highway Code for Cyclists: Summary

Rules 59 to 82 of the Highway Code are concentrated on cycling, but the official documents can be a bit wordy. Below, we’ve summarised the key rules and recommendations for cyclign in Britain, including what cycling can legally do, what they are advised to do and what they are not allowed to do.

Cyclists Can Legally:

Cyclists Should (Optional):

Cyclists Must Not:

Highway Code for Cyclists: All 23 Rules and Laws

Rule 59: Cyclists should avoid wearing clothing that can get caught in the chain or obscure bicycle lights. They should also wear a cycle helmet that conforms to the current regulations, is the correct size and is correctly fastened, and fluorescent/light-coloured clothing is recommended for visibility.

Rule 60: At night you must have white front and red rear lights lit, and your bike must be fitted with a red rear reflector and amber pedal reflectors, if manufactured after 1/10/85.

Rule 61: Use cycle lanes where they make your journey safer and easier – cyclists are not obliged to use them.

Rule 62: When using cycle tracks – routes for cyclists that are physically protected from motor traffic – cyclists must keep to the side intended for cyclists and not enter into the pedestrian footpath. If there is no separate footpath, you should take care when passing pedestrians.

Rule 63: Take care when passing pedestrians, horse riders or horse-drawn vehicles – do not pass them at speed or too close, and you should not pass a horse on its left.

Rule 64: You must not cycle on a pavement.

Rule 65: Most bus lanes can be used by cyclists as indicated on signs. Be careful when doing so. Do not pass between the kerb and a bus when it is at a stop.

Rule 66: Cyclists should:

• Ensure they keep control of their cycle, including not carrying anything that could make them lose their balance or that might get tangled in bike
• Be considerate of other road users in general, including using a bell to make their presence known
• Be considerate of other road users when riding in groups, including allowing drivers to overtake when you think it’s safe
  • You can ride two abreast, and it may be safer to do so
• Not ride close behind a vehicle in case it stops suddenly

Rule 67: You should:

• Remain aware of your surroundings by looking around before turning or pulling away
• Look out for obstructions in the road
• Leave a door’s width or one metre when passing parked vehicles
• Watch out for pedestrians stepping into your path
• Be aware of other road users
• Use signals to show your intention
• Take care near traffic calming features like road humps and narrowings
• Only pass on the left of large vehicles when cycling on the road

Rule 68: You must not:

• Carry a passenger unless your bike has been built or adapted to do so
• Hold onto a moving vehicle or trailer
• Ride dangerously, carelessly or inconsiderately
• Ride when under the influence of drugs or alcohol, including medicine

Rule 69: You must obey all traffic signs and traffic light signals.

Rule 70: When parking your bike, find a conspicuous location where it can be seen by passers-by, use cycle parking facilities where possible, don’t create an obstruction or hazard, and secure it well.

Rule 71: At traffic lights, you must not cross the stop line when the lights are red.

Rule 72: Road positioning – there are two basic positions to adopt depending on the situation.

1. Ride in the centre of your lane to make yourself as visible as possible – this is used on quiet roads, in slower moving traffic, and when approaching junctions or narrowings where it’d be unsafe for drivers to overtake you
2. On the left – On busy roads, you should keep 0.5 metres away from the kerb, and further where it’s safer. You should allow faster-moving vehicles to overtake where it is safe to do so.

Rule 73: At junctions:

• Use cycle facilities, eg small cycle traffic lights, where it’s safer and easier to do so
• If there are no separate cycle facilities, act like you’re driving a motor vehicle
• Position yourself in the centre of your lane where safe. If this doesn’t feel safe, you can dismount and walk your bike across the junction.

Rule 74: When turning:

• If turning left, watch out for other vehicles turning into or out of the side road. Check for other cyclists or motorcyclists before signalling, and do not ride on the inside of vehicles signalling or slowing down to turn left.
• If turning right, check the traffic then signal and move into the centre of the road, waiting for a safe gap before turning. You might want to dismount and push your bike across the road if safer.
• When turning into or out of a side road, give way to pedestrians.

Rule 75: Two stage turns – at some signal-controlled junctions, cyclists may be instructed to turn right in two stages:

1. When the traffic lights go green, cyclists turning should go straight ahead to the location on the road marked with a cycle symbol and turn arrow, and wait.
2. When the traffic lights on the far side of the junction which are now facing the cyclists are green, they can then turn.

Rule 76: When going straight ahead at a junction, you have priority over traffic waiting to turn into or out of a side road, unless road markings say otherwise. Be aware of other drivers, especially slow-moving lorries and other long vehicles.

Rule 77: When crossing fast or busy main roads, you might find it safer and easier to push your bike across on foot, wait for a safe gap in the traffic to cross, and make use of traffic islands to help.

Rule 78: When using a roundabout without cycle facilities, adhere to rules 184 to 190 of the Highway Code.

Rule 79: At roundabouts, you can ride in the left or right-hand lane, moving left when approaching your exit and signalling right to show when you aren’t leaving the roundabout. It’s also fine to dismount and walk your bike on the pavement or verge if you feel safer doing so. You should always watch out for traffic and be aware that drivers may not easily see you.

Where a roundabout has separate cycle facilities, use them if they make your journey safer and easier – but you’re not obliged to use them.

Rule 80: Give plenty of room to long vehicles on a roundabout – do not ride in the space they need to get around it.

Rule 81: Do not ride across equestrian crossings. Do not ride across a pelican, puffin or zebra crossing. Dismount and wheel your bike across.

Rule 82: You are allowed to cycle across toucan crossings, which are push-button operated light-controlled crossings allowing cyclists and pedestrians to share crossing space and cross at the same time.

Cycle tracks on the opposite sides of the road might be linked by cycle-only signalled crossings – you may ride across these but you must not do so until the light is green, and you should be aware of pedestrians.

Take extra care when crossing level crossings and tramways, and make sure to dismount where a ‘cyclist dismount’ sign is displayed.

New Highway Code Rules for Cyclists

In early 2022, the Highway Code was updated with some changes for motorists and cyclists alike, to enhance safety for all road users.

The updated code introduced a hierarchy of road users, which means that those who pose the greatest risk to others have a higher level of responsibility, placing drivers at the top.

Cyclists have a higher responsibility than horses and pedestrians, so should be particularly aware of their safety, but nonetheless should have regard for all road users’ safety as well as their own.

As such, cyclists should not pass pedestrians, people on horses or horse-drawn vehicles at speed. You are now advised to slow down when necessary, let people know you’re there, and not pass a horse on its left-hand side.

Cyclists have long been advised to ride in the centre of the lane for better visibility and to deter unsafe overtaking, but the Highway Code has now been updated to formalise this advice. It states that cyclists should cycle in the middle of the lane on quiet roads, in slow-moving traffic, and when approaching junctions/road narrowings, and also says that cyclists should maintain 0.5m distance from the kerb when on busier or faster roads.

The new code also clarifies that cyclists can ride two abreast. This has always been the case, but it is often a source of conflict on roads and the change in the language emphasises rider safety.

It also confirms that cyclists can pass stationary or slow-moving traffic on the right or the left.

The 2022 update to the Highway Code also has new rules for cyclists at junctions, for example that, when turning into or out of a junction, cyclists should give way to people who are crossing or waiting to cross. The new Rule 75 outlines two-stage turns at some signal-controlled junctions, and the new code also says that cyclists now have right of way when cycling straight ahead at junctions unless signs say otherwise.

Plus, the update clarifies that cyclists have priority on roundabouts, and that drivers/motorcyclists shouldn’t pass cyclists in their lane.

Bicycle Highway Code FAQs:

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