In this edition of West Yorkshire Cycling, we review an incident where a van cutting a corner at a junction narrowly misses a cyclist on Wyke Lane and the B6379 Westfield Lane in Wyke. The incident occurred on Saturday, 14th September 2024 and involved a silver Ford Transit.
The map shows the location of the incident and the direction the cyclist was travelling.
Let’s take another look at the incident in slow motion.
The cyclist moves into the centre of the road at the junction to turn right when a van turns right, cuts the corner, and narrowly misses the cyclist with the rear of the vehicle.
The footage was uploaded the same day via the Safer Roads Media Submission Portal, and an email acknowledgement with a unique reference number confirmed it had been logged.
On 17th September 2024, West Yorkshire Police emailed again to confirm they were tracing the driver. Possible outcomes included an educational course, a Fixed Penalty, or a court appearance.
The process begins with the police issuing a Notice of Intended Prosecution, or NIP, to the registered keeper. This must be served within 14 days of the alleged offence. A NIP is not a prosecution; it is a formal notification that one may follow. The recipient must identify the driver within 28 days.
Accuracy is essential. Providing false information may amount to perverting the course of justice, an offence that can lead to imprisonment or a substantial fine. Failing to comply with the NIP is a separate offence, carrying six penalty points and a fine of up to £1,000 upon conviction.
Operation Snap records for July to September 2024 confirm that the driver was dealt with for offence RT88576: driving a mechanically propelled vehicle on a road or public place without reasonable consideration, an offence under Section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. A person is considered to have driven without reasonable consideration if their actions inconvenience another road user.
Rule 180 of the Highway Code instructs drivers turning right to watch out for cyclists, motorcyclists, pedestrians and other road users. It also states clearly: do not cut the corner.
So, how was the driver dealt with? Operation Snap records show the driver was offered an educational course. These courses can only be taken once in any three years and are designed to improve behaviour and reduce the likelihood of re‑offending.
The driver had 28 days to book and pay for the course, and 120 days from the date of the offence to complete it. The police may withdraw the offer at any point before completion. Although the driver could have chosen a Conditional Offer of Fixed Penalty or a court hearing, they elected to complete the course at their own expense.
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That’s all from West Yorkshire Cycling for this edition. We’ll be back with another episode soon. Until then, take care on the roads.
