Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to make it a legal requirement for cyclists to wear helmets; and if not, why not.

We have no plans to make it a legal requirement for cyclists to wear helmets.

Government policy is that the cycle helmets offer a degree of protection for cyclists in the event of a fall from a cycle and some types of collisions. In line with the Highway Code rule 59, we encourage their use by all cyclists and in particular by children. However people and parents are free to choose whether to follow this advice and we have no plans to legislate to introduce mandatory enforcement of cycle helmet wearing.