Section 19: Cycling when under influence of drink or drugs

Road Traffic Act 1972 · 1972 c.20

Part I: Principal Road Safety Provisions

19(1)

A person who, when riding a cycle, not being a motor vehicle, on a road or other public place, is unfit to ride through drink or drugs shall be guilty of an offence.

19(2)

A person liable to be charged with an offence under this section shall not be liable to be charged—

(a) under section 12 of the Licensing Act 1872, with the offence of being drunk while in charge, on a highway or other public place, of a carriage, or

(b) under section 70 of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1903, with the offence of being drunk while in charge, in a street or other place, of a carriage.

19(3)

A constable may arrest without warrant a person committing an offence under this section.

19(4)

In this section " unfit to ride through drink or drugs " means, as regards a person riding a cycle, under the influence of drink or a drug to such an extent as to be incapable of having proper control of it.

19(5)

In this section " road " includes a bridleway.

About this text

This legislation text comes from legislation.gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Reuse reviewed 21 August 2026 under Open Government Licence v3.0.