You’re watching West Yorkshire Cycling. I’m Charlotte. In this edition, we examine a close pass on the A643 Westgate in Cleckheaton. The incident took place on Wednesday, 26th February 2025, and the vehicle involved was a green Hyundai i10, registered S9 DAX.
The map shows the location of the incident along with the direction the cyclist was travelling.
Let’s take another look at this incident in slow motion.
The cyclist is holding a steady position in the lane, having moved out slightly to avoid drain covers and potholes, when the Hyundai i10 overtakes at close range on the wet road.
The footage was submitted to West Yorkshire Police via the Safer Roads Media Submission Portal on the same day, and the complainant received an email acknowledgement containing a unique reference number for the submission.
On Monday, 3rd March 2025, West Yorkshire Police confirmed that enquiries were underway to identify the driver. Once identified, the driver would be processed for the relevant offence or offences, with potential outcomes including an educational course, a Conditional Offer of Fixed Penalty, or a court hearing.
The process begins with a Notice of Intended Prosecution, or NIP, issued to the vehicle’s registered keeper within 14 days of the offence. Receiving a NIP is not an automatic prosecution; it is a formal notification that one may follow. The keeper then has 28 days to provide the name and address of the driver.
It is essential to be truthful. Providing false details may constitute perverting the course of justice, which can result in a prison sentence or a substantial fine. Failing to comply with the NIP is also an offence and can result in six penalty points and a maximum £1,000 fine on conviction.
Information from Operation Snap for the period January to March 2025 confirms that the driver was dealt with for offence RT88576 — Drive a mechanically propelled vehicle on a road or public place without reasonable consideration. This offence falls under Section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. A person is considered to have driven without reasonable consideration if their driving inconveniences another road user.
Rule 163 of the Highway Code states that overtaking should only be carried out when it is safe and legal to do so. Drivers must give cyclists at least as much room as they would when overtaking a car. As a guide, at least 1.5 metres should be left when overtaking at speeds up to 30mph, with greater clearance required at higher speeds and in wet or poor weather. If those clearances cannot be met safely, the driver should wait behind the cyclist and not overtake.
Operation Snap records confirm the driver was offered an educational course. Such courses are available only once in any three-year period and are designed to address driving 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 reserve the right to withdraw the offer at any point before completion. Although the driver could have opted for a Conditional Offer of Fixed Penalty or a court hearing, they chose to complete the course at their own expense.
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That brings this edition of West Yorkshire Cycling to a close. We’ll return with another report shortly. Until then, please take care on the roads.
