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news
coronavirus - cyclists rides past social distance warning“Stay local” – What the latest lockdown laws and guidance mean for you and cycling
The escalation in the number of cases of coronavirus over Christmas and New Year has led Prime Minister Boris Johnson to announce a new lockdown in England, effective from today; while in Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has outlined new measures that have come into effect there today. British Cycling says it is seeking urgent clarification from the government about what “Stay local” means for people in England when it comes to riding bikes for exercise; but according to the latest amendments this appears to be guidance, not law.
> Recovering from long COVID - a cyclist's guide
Here’s a brief summary of what the latest rules in England and Scotland, plus the existing ones in Wales and Northern Ireland mean for cycling, with a focus on exercise and leisure – with active travel encouraged for those who have to commute to work, or when undertaking essential shopping.
England
There is a summary of the rules on the Gov.uk website, which includes guidance and also outlines most things which are against the law. On Tuesday evening a full set of amendments were published which laid out the new laws that have now come into effect. Here are the rules relating to exercising and meeting other people.
Exercising and meeting other people
You should minimise time spent outside your home.
It is against the law to meet socially with family or friends unless they are part of your household or support bubble. You can only leave your home to exercise, and not for the purpose of recreation or leisure (e.g. a picnic or a social meeting). This should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area.
You can exercise in a public outdoor place:
by yourself
with the people you live with
with your support bubble (if you are legally permitted to form one)
in a childcare bubble where providing childcare
or, when on your own, with 1 person from another household
Public outdoor places include:
parks, beaches, countryside accessible to the public, forests
public gardens (whether or not you pay to enter them)
the grounds of a heritage site
playgrounds
Outdoor sports venues, including tennis courts, golf courses and swimming pools, must close.
When around other people, stay 2 metres apart from anyone not in your household - meaning the people you live with - or your support bubble. Where this is not possible, stay 1 metre apart with extra precautions (e.g. wearing a face covering).
Additionally, in the 'travel' section of the guidance document it says: "This [outdoor exercise] should be done locally wherever possible, but you can travel a short distance within your area to do so if necessary (for example, to access an open space)".
British Cycling has provided updated guidance on its website, where it acknowledges that some people may be confused by what constitutes their local area, and says it is seeking clarification on the issue.
“We know many of you will want to know what is meant by 'staying local'. The government’s definition of this is stated as ‘your village, town or the part of a city where you live’,” the organisation said.
“We understand that this definition is particularly restrictive for cycling, and we are working to seek further clarification on this. We will provide a further update as soon as we are able.
“In the meantime, we recommend that you follow the advice to stay local, ride well within your ability and ensure that you are self-sufficient.”
Update, January 6th: as mentioned above, it's now become clearer that exercising once per day and 'staying local' is guidance, and not the law. Does this mean it's sensible to go/ride against the spirit of the guidance? Probably not in most cases, and we'll be giving a more holistic answer to this question in our soon-to-be-updated guide to being a responsible cyclist in a time of pandemic.
Scotland
The mainland, and some islands including Skye, have been placed in Level 4. Some islands remain in Level 3, and you can find a list of those here.
For areas falling within Level 4, people are told to stay at home “as much as possible” and to “Travel no further than you need to reach to a safe, non-crowded place to exercise in a socially distanced way.”
The Scottish Government says: “A maximum of 2 people from 2 separate households can meet outdoors for sport or exercise. Children under the age of 12 from these households do not count towards this number.
“The members of an individual household or extended household [similar to a support bubble – Ed] can meet outdoors for sport or exercise.
“You can travel for local outdoor sport or exercise such as meeting another person, walking, cycling, golf or running that starts and finishes at the same place (which can be up to 5 miles from the boundary of your local authority area), as long as you abide by the rules on meeting other households.
“Indoor sports facilities are closed.”
Scottish Cycling last month produced a detailed guide to what informal and formal (ie organised) cycling is permitted under each of the country’s five tiers, which range from Level 0 (lowest) to Level 4 (highest).
You can find the guide here, but the Level 4 restrictions announced yesterday appear more restrictive than those that previously applied.
Wales
Wales has been in an Alert Level 4 national lockdown since 20 December, with the Welsh Government’s guidance available here. In response, Welsh Cycling said:
With the new regulations and guidance coming into place, this will mean a change in organised sporting activity. The new regulations mean you must adhere to the following:
All group activities are suspended until advised otherwise by Welsh Government
Ride on your own or with members of your household*.
Your ride has to start/finish at home.
Keep to social distancing measures of two metres apart.
If you live around borders into England please be aware of that regulations differ so please check the latest advice, we urge you to ride responsibly and within your ability to help protect the NHS [nb The latest rules in England mean that people in Wales will not be allowed to cross into the country – Ed].
It is also important to be self-sufficient by carrying the tools you need (i.e. inner tubes, chain tool and a working pump).
Welsh Cycling added: “As we enter another difficult period, we understand the physical and mental benefits exercise and cycling can have. We encourage you to continue to cycle but urge people to do so responsibly during this upcoming period and to follow Welsh Government regulations and guidance.”
Northern Ireland
As outlined on the regulations guidance page on nidirect.gov.uk, tougher restrictions were introduced in Northern Ireland following an increase in coronavirus cases on the 26th December, which meant the closing of all non-essential retail. From Friday NI will enforce a 'stay at home' law, however residents will still be allowed to take exercise outdoors. Here is the current guidance for sports on NI Direct.
Indoor and outdoor sport is not permitted, other than at elite level.
Elite training and competition can continue, both indoors and outdoors.
Elite sporting events must be held behind closed doors without spectators.
The definition of an elite athlete is set out in the regulations.
Horse racing can take place behind closed doors, in line with the elite sport regulations and animal welfare considerations.
All sports facilities such as leisure centres, gyms, health clubs, swimming pools, tennis courts, golf courses, fitness and dance studios must close.
Other exercise facilities, including activity centres, equestrian centres (access for the purpose of animal welfare is permitted), marinas, and venues relating to motor sport and water sport must also remain closed.
Only individual or household outdoor exercise is permitted. Physical activity such as walking, running, cycling, horse riding, or just walking the dog, bring many health benefits.
You cannot participate in personal one-to-one training sessions or group activities such as running or cycling.
Physical education delivered by or for schools, pre-schools and other education providers is permitted to continue.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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149 comments
Hey guys, I only did what any good father would do and test my vision by driving my wife and child to see Barnard Castle and the bluebells without the usual crowds of plebs. We had a 250+mile drive back to our London home and I didn't want to take any chances. Let's keep these comments constructive, we're all in this together.
Stay home, obey the rules.
Regards
Dom
There are no distance limits because people must be able to travel for:
Work - e.g. I used to have a 20 mile commute
Essential shopping - it's 6 miles to the nearest supermarket for me
Support bubbles - 8 miles to the person in our bubble
Medical visits - approx 8 miles to the nearest hospital.
And I'm by no means living in a rural backwater.
Fundamentally, if there's nothing written into law there's nothing that can be done to prevent reasonable travel for exercise. The challenge for everyone is not to be a such an idiot about it so that the govt isn't encouraged to legislate for hard limits. That means no group rides, no all day epics, and so on.
A work colleague has just bought a property on a remote Highland Island and is in the process of moving there. The nearest shop is a 56 mile round trip.
British Cycling seem to be incapable of remembering the basic rule:
"Don't ask a question you don't want to know the answer to"
Regardless of guidance, if it isn't written into law there's nothing to stop you riding for miles. Wish we could just rely on common sense - don't take risks, ride prepared with spares/tools/snacks/drinks, and perhaps cloverleaf from your residence so a non-fixable mechanical only means a short walk home.
I'm fortunate where I live but for lockdown 1 I set up 5 mile routes to all four compass points that I could then link together for longer rides. Carried two spare tubes, pump, chain tool, allen keys, tyre boot, quick link which meant I could get home from almost any common mechanical.
Another great example of why elite sports governing bodies, like BC, should butt the hell out of everything that isn't professional sport.
Not really that simple though, is it?
The FA governs all football from the pros right down to school age Sunday League stuff, and at present there are different rules around whether they can continue or not, and how they do so.
Likewise, although BC is best known as the governing body for the professional racers etc., it has whole categories of membership for people, like me, who just ride, never race, and they will get questions from those types of rider about what they can and can't do, so they very much do want to know the answer because their members will expect them to.
You can only leave your home to exercise, and not for the purpose of recreation or leisure (e.g. a picnic or a social meeting). This should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area.
I'm sure we're all familiar with the difference between these words from our knowledge of the HC. Once per day and local area are guidelines, not the law (in England). Not that I'm suggesting that the aim shouldn't be to be sensible about this, but we don't need to be hung up on it like everyone was with the "one hour" last spring.
I think the particular interpretation of must (law) and should (advice) is a formula that applies to the HC, and is not the general application of these words. In any case, the legislation has yet to be enacted, so for the immediate time it is all "advice".
The use of must and should (and may) is also well understood by anyone who's written/read specifications, requirements, and many other texts. It's not restricted to the HC; I was using that as an example we all here will likely be familiar with.
Looks like it is all in here
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/1374/schedule/3A
This is the base document which is updated by amendments rather than a brand new document.
If I have followed things correctly, the latest SI https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2021/8/contents/made
updates this one
Looks like the lockdown is law to me.. why do so many try to interpret the rules as guidance, therefore optional? maybe just follow the rules folks.
Because the UK has done things a bit differently from Australia. In the UK, the law has a few general principles but not so much detail. The detail tends to be lots of guidance, often contradictory, which comes out in dribs and drabs as different ministers speak to the media. It means that if/when things go wrong, the Govt won't be blamed and don't have to take responsibility because they can just blame the population for not following "common sense".
Even if you take the 'should nots' as being requirements, it says that you 'should not travel outside your local area', and when you look at the detailed guidance 'travel' seems to refer more to the getting somewhere to do the exercise, rather than the exercise itself - e.g. you can drive 5 minutes to the park for a walk, but don't drive 30 miles to the coast.
It doesn't look like anyone's considered the possibility that the exercise itself might cover a significant distance, so there's no particular guidance on it.
Good spot.
Victoria, Australia didn't mess around with their lockdown; 5 km travel limit and that was for strictly limited needs, such as one hour exercise, shopping and medical; non essential business had to close and essential workers had to carry work permits to travel to work and back home.
Plus it was policed, my ID was checked a couple of times while riding Kew Boulie and a friend had the Police show up at her house just over an hour after she'd been checked on her daily ride.
So in England "you can exercise in […] parks, beaches, countryside accessible to the public, forests" yet seemingly have to stay in "your village, town or the part of a city where you live." ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
The sanctimonious policing of 'local' on social media is doing my head in, but I don't see an easy solution beyond stipulating time or distance restrictions.
I think a bit of common sense is all that's needed. Are you able to get back home if you have a mechanical without having to get someone outside of your household to pick you up?
Do multiple short loops, rather than a big 100 mile loop.
People have different ideas over common sense though.
I don't think I would stick to the letter of the guidance if I had a choice of a 5m trip to a supermarket within my borough or a 2m trip 'over the border' . Better to do a 2m trip.
It's lose/lose for cyclists as most people have no idea of what distances fit cyclists can manage.
I think common sense is what brought most countries to their current situation.
Yep. Common Sense - the least common of the senses!
exactly, weve discussed on here before what should be a common sense approach for cycling in this situation, and afaic again nothing has changed since lockdown 1 in that respect, so I wont treat how Ill approach lockdown 3 any differently from lockdown 1. I dont really understand why its so difficult for the government not to just copy & paste the last set of lockdown stuff (which worked to their satisfaction as far we can tell) and just change the dates, they seem to be perpetually reinventing the wheel on this and forever creating confusion and requiring more clarifications, it should be simple remember what you did between March & June, just do that again, please.
But aside from all that, i know full well there will be politicians (local or national), media commentators, local busybodies, maybe even the police, who would pick up things like that "local" area part and insist it meant all manner of limitations on cycling and how far or for how long you could ride, Ive already seen people claim because other guidance says no households mixing at all, that you cant exercise with 1 person from another household even though the guidance clearly then says you can, and the Telegraph were already reinventing the Gove 1hr limit last week, and its not because they cant interpret the guidelines properly, its just because they want to inflict the misery they are experiencing onto everyone else, its the if Im stuck at home why should others be allowed to go anywhere at all outlook.
A 100 mile loop might only take you ~16 miles from home, which remains pretty local to my mind, although stretching your permitted exercise outing for the 6 hours or so could be seen as contentious!
FWIW, I was stopped by the filth during the first lockdown who didn't think a 45 min's ride distance from home constitued local, but obviously couldn't back this up with any legislation.
I aim to be self-sufficient during these times. Carrying enough spares and food, taking it steady and riding only routes I know, and wearing SPD shoes so as to still be able to walk home should it come to it.
Ah yes, good old common sense. A 100% subjective term that you can define by whatever suits you or me. And that's usually me. We use common sense in Westminster often, which of course is common sense.
Regards
Dom
I'm waiting for my neighbour to call for a ban on bicycles, as she did last April...
Hang on, does that mean we will see Pill (?) people protesting at the end of the cycleway/village cut through to say 'cyclists keep out' ? Whilst practising no social distancing of course.
Watch this space...
If that happens I'll very happily turn up to laugh at them. From a distance of 2 pitchforks, obviously.
I can do a local 3hr/50mile ride with 30 laps of my village. During which I'm gently spluttering into air occupied by other people.
Or I can ride for 3h/50miles in the countryside, where there are few/no other people. In the unlikely event I have a mechanical and can't fix it, I can call other members of my household to come rescue me.
I'm pretty confident that the latter is better for others, and for me. So that's what I'm going to do.
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