This episode takes us to Towngate, Ossett—where a calm Sunday ride on 25th August 2024 turned into a close-call moment no cyclist wants to experience.
On screen, you’ll see a map showing where the incident took place and the direction the cyclist was heading.
Now, let’s slow things down and take another look at that moment. Watch closely—it’s a textbook example of why space matters.
The footage was submitted to the West Yorkshire Police Safer Roads Media Submission Portal that same day. A confirmation email came through shortly after, and by Thursday, 29th August, West Yorkshire Police had responded to say they were actively investigating and working to trace the driver involved.
Here’s what happens next in these cases.
If police believe an offence has been committed, they start by issuing a Notice of Intended Prosecution, or NIP. This needs to reach the registered keeper of the vehicle within 14 days of the incident.
The NIP serves as a formal heads-up—it tells the potential offender that prosecution is on the table, while the incident is still fresh in memory.
Once you receive a NIP, there’s a legal requirement: you have 28 days to confirm who was driving the vehicle at the time. Be warned—giving false information is serious. Doing so could land you with a charge of perverting the course of justice, which can carry a hefty fine or even prison time. And simply ignoring the NIP? That’s an offence too, punishable by up to six penalty points and a £1,000 fine.
According to Operation Snap data from July to September 2024, the driver in this case was dealt with under offence RT88576—driving without reasonable consideration for other road users. That’s a Section 3 offence under the Road Traffic Act 1988, and it applies when someone’s driving causes inconvenience to others—even if there’s no crash or injury.
So what does the Highway Code say?
Rule 163 tells us loud and clear: only overtake when it’s safe and legal. You should give at least 1.5 metres of space when overtaking cyclists at speeds up to 30mph, and even more space if you’re going faster or the weather’s bad. If that kind of space isn’t available, you wait.
In this case, the pass was too close. It didn’t meet the clearance guideline, and it certainly didn’t show the cyclist the consideration the law demands.
The outcome? The driver was offered an Educational Course—a chance to reflect, re-learn, and hopefully, never repeat the mistake. These courses can only be taken once every three years and must be booked within 28 days of receiving the offer. They must also be completed within 120 days of the incident. Importantly, police can withdraw the offer at any time before it’s completed.
Alternatively, the driver still has the option to accept a Conditional Offer of Fixed Penalty or contest the case in court.
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That’s all from this episode of West Yorkshire Cycling. Let’s keep the conversation going, raise awareness, and stay safe out there—because every metre of space can make all the difference.
