In this episode we take a look at a close pass incident on the B6120 Whitechapel Road in Scholes. It occurred on 31st October 2024 and involved a blue Ford Transit.
The map shows the location of the incident along with the direction the cyclist was travelling in. Let’s take another look at this close pass.
The footage was uploaded to West Yorkshire Police via the Safer Roads Media Submission Portal on the same day. An email was returned confirming the submission along with a unique reference number. West Yorkshire Police responded by email on Monday 4th November 2024 stating that enquiries were ongoing to trace the driver involved so they can be dealt with for the offence or offences identified in the footage.
The first step in this process is issuing a Notice of Intended Prosecution, or NIP, to the registered keeper of the vehicle. It’s important to remember that receiving a NIP isn’t an automatic prosecution; it’s a formal warning that prosecution may follow. The recipient then has 28 days to provide details of who was driving at the time of the alleged offence. Failing to comply with a NIP is an offence in itself.
Data from Operation Snap for the period October 2024 to December 2024 shows that the driver was dealt with for the offence RT88576: ‘Driving a mechanically propelled vehicle on a road or public place without reasonable consideration’. This falls under Section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. Crucially, this offence is considered committed if another road user is inconvenienced by the manner of driving.
This directly relates to The Highway Code, specifically Rule 163, which clearly states: ‘Overtake only when it is safe and legal to do so.’ It goes on to say, ‘You should give motorcyclists, cyclists and horse riders and horse drawn vehicles at least as much room as you would when overtaking a car.’
And for cyclists, the guidance is even more specific: ‘As a guide, leave at least 1.5 metres when overtaking cyclists at speeds of up to 30mph, and give them more space when overtaking at higher speeds.’ If you can’t meet these clearances, the rule is simple: ‘You should wait behind… and not overtake.’
So, what was the outcome? The driver was offered an Educational Course. These courses aim to educate drivers, change attitudes, and prevent re-offending. It’s worth noting you can only attend one such course within a three-year period.
The driver had 28 days to book and pay for the course and needed to complete it within 120 days of the offence. While they could have opted for a Conditional Offer of a Fixed Penalty or a court hearing, in this instance, the driver accepted the offer of the educational course, which they attended at their own expense.
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Join us next time for more from West Yorkshire Cycling.
