One of the messages displayed on the road signs advises motorists to \u201cgive cycles 1.5m space in passing\u201d, as instructed by the Highway Code when overtaking at 30mph.<\/p>\n
Other messages, the council says, will focus on educating drivers about \u201cwhy people cycling take certain positions when riding on the road, such as when cycling in the centre of the lane when approaching junctions and roundabouts for safety or when passing parked vehicles.\u201d<\/p>\n
The local authority will also stress the \u201cneed for motorists to check before opening their doors when parked up\u201d, in order to avoid hitting passing cyclists or pedestrians, while reminding drivers about changes to the Highway Code, introduced in 2022, that give \u201cpriority to people cycling straight on and pedestrians crossing at junctions\u201d.<\/p>\n
>\u00a0Most drivers wrongly believe cyclists must ride single file, stay close to the kerb, and use cycle lanes \u2013 and one in three say they shouldn\u2019t have equal rights on the road, new Highway Code survey finds<\/a><\/p>\n Announcing the campaign, Mark Ieronimo, Hull City Council\u2019s cabinet portfolio holder for transport and infrastructure, emphasised that the local authority\u2019s bid to improve road safety \u201cisn\u2019t about lecturing people or catching people out\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cAt Hull City Council, it is our ambition to create a cycle friendly city that supports those who choose to cycle, wheel or walk, whether it is for their daily commute or for leisure purposes and exercise, to do so with confidence,\u201d councillor Ieronimo said this week.<\/p>\n \u201cShare the Road isn\u2019t about lecturing people or catching people out. We are all just trying to get somewhere at the end of the day, and we all have a part to play when it comes to safety on the city\u2019s highway network.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Highway Code states that those who can cause the greatest harm, have the greatest responsibility to reduce the risk they pose to others. What we are asking is for people to take a moment to reflect and to think of the safety of others.<\/p>\n \u201cHowever you get around Hull and whoever you meet on your journey, we encourage you to travel like you know them.\u201d<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Alan Gribben, the sustainable travel lead for local climate action group Hull and East Riding Friends of the Earth, added: \u201cCycling, walking and wheeling are low impact modes of travel that benefit our physical and mental health, the environment, and the local economy.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople often tell us they would like to cycle or walk more but don\u2019t always feel safe. We hope that these messages will encourage people to think about other road users and help everyone feel safer when moving around the city.\u201d<\/p>\n Judging by the response to the campaign this week, it has certainly encouraged drivers in Hull to think about cyclists \u2013 but perhaps not in the way the council intended.<\/p>\n Responding to an image posted by the BBC of the council\u2019s new \u2018Give cycles 1.5m space in passing\u2019 road sign, Facebook user Lee Holderness replied: \u201cWhy? They mainly share the pavement with pedestrians. If we have to share the road, let them know we\u2019re willing to share red lights too.\u201d<\/p>\n Holderness wasn\u2019t alone in his critique of the sign, with Joanne Wilkinson writing: \u201cNot always sure that\u2019s enough because cyclists wobble all over the place and pull out in front of you without any warning or hand signals, expecting car drivers to give them what they consider their right of way despite the fact that they don\u2019t pass a test [and] aren\u2019t taxed or insured.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat about cyclists actually having to pass a road competency test first and I don\u2019t mean cycling proficiency?\u201d suggested Alison Taylor.<\/p>\n \u201cIf they ride single file that\u2019s not a problem, but when they\u2019re side by side two, three at a time taking the whole lane up, what do they expect?\u201d asked Rob Featherstone.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen a cyclist moves past my car, they give me 1.5 inches of space not metres. If that\u2019s enough for them,\u201d added Stiv Baldwin, missing the point of the campaign entirely, it seems.<\/p>\n \u201c1.5 metres is easy as most cycles are on the footpath anyway,\u201d noted Creed Soundman, a theme shared by Owen Grantham, who asked: \u201cCan cars share the pavement?\u201d<\/p>\n BBC\u2019s Look North<\/a> also shared emails sent in by viewers, including Sue, who told the programme: \u201cCyclists will earn respect from me when they wear helmets, don\u2019t cycle on pavements, jump red traffics lights, and only ride two abreast.\u201d<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Cheryl argued that many cyclists do not use cycle lanes or other dedicated cycling infrastructure, \u201cresulting in increased conflict and a lack of tolerance for cyclists\u201d, and Paula questioned why cyclists, many of whom also drive cars, behave differently \u201cas soon as they slip on their Lycra\u201d.<\/p>\n![\"Hull](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/hull-city-councils-15m-overtaking-sign.jpg\" "\\"Hull")
Hull City Council’s 1.5m overtaking sign (credit: BBC)<\/p>\n