- compulsory third-party insurance for all cyclists (to cover injury to
pedestrians and damage to cars who have to swerve to avoid them when the
cyclists go through red lights or whose cars they scrape as they overtake
illegally on the left coming up to a junction)

- mandatory registration plates at the front and back of all bikes, with
the front number plate parallel with the handlebars (rather than parallel
with the wheel as for motorbikes at present) so it can be read from in
front

As an occasional cyclist, I'd willingly pay a small surcharge for
insurance. Being responsible and considerate, I have never overtaken a
queue of cars on the left (I wait my turn, just like a car, or else I
dismount and walk on the pavement till I get past the obstruction) and I
have never gone through a red traffic light or across a pedestrian
crossing that has people on it. But I think I'm very much in the minority
:-(


This only would make sense if all people had to have 3rd party insurance -
peds cause accidents too, especially small children. Why should the lorry
driver's insurance have to pay out just because some stupid mum lets her
toddler run out and make him damage his truck?