More than half of e-bike riders jumped red lights at major UK junctions this year, according to new dash cam data from Nextbase. The study, which analysed over 31,700 road user interactions at 78 junctions in London, Manchester and Glasgow, found that 54% of e-bike users failed to stop at red lights – up from 45% last year.
E-scooter riders also broke the rules in large numbers, with 24% running red lights completely. In London, that figure rose to 28%. The most dangerous junction identified was Finsbury Park & Stroud Green Road in London, where 86% of riders ran red lights, followed by Holloway Road & Drayton Park at 75%.
Cyclists and delivery riders also caught
Pedal cyclists also showed concerning behaviour, with 19% riding through red lights. Delivery riders on bicycles jumped red lights in 22% of cases, the same level as the previous year.
Top 10 junctions for red light running
The full list of the most dangerous junctions, based on the percentage of road users who ran red lights, is:
- Finsbury Park & Stroud Green Road - London - 86%
- Holloway Road & Drayton Park - London - 75%
- Victoria Street & Vauxhall Bridge Road - London - 57%
- Harrow Road & Ladbroke Grove junction - London - 50%
- Paisley Road West & Ibrox - Glasgow - 50%
- Regent Street & Great Marlborough Street - London - 47%
- Notting Hill Gate & Bayswater Road / junctions turning into Kensington Gardens - London - 41%
- Old Kent Road & Dunton Road - London - 40%
- Kilburn High Road & Belsize Road - London - 40%
- Argyle Street & Jamaica Street - Glasgow - 39%
Safety warning and liability
Some e-bikes are capable of speeds of up to 20mph, meaning they can come out of nowhere and cause incidents. Bryn Brooker, Head of Road Safety at Nextbase, said: “This year we're seeing more and more incidents involving e-scooters and e-bikes making the news and going viral on social media, and our data shows why. This is dangerous for all road users, but especially pedestrians and cyclists, for whom an accident, even at relatively low speed, can be life-changing.”
Cyclists are above cars in the hierarchy of road users, meaning that car users bear a higher legal and moral duty to ensure road safety. This means that in an accident, drivers are more likely to be held liable for the incident than cyclists. Brooker added: “Drivers worried about liability in these instances should look into a dash cam, which will always provide a neutral record of exactly who is at fault in the event of a crash.”
