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Should cyclists be forced to wear bike helmets in Britain?

A new study by the University of New South Wales in Australia says wearing a bike helmet whilst cycling can reduce the risk of serious head injury by nearly 70%. The study, which included 60,000 cyclists from around the world, also concluded that there is no link between helmets and neck injuries.

The University believes that wearing a helmet should be compulsory in Britain like it is in Australia.

However, Cycling UK’s senior road safety and legal campaigner Duncan Dollimore disagrees and says being forced to wear a helmet will discourage people from cycling.

“In Australia and other places where they’ve made cycle helmets compulsory, there’s been an immediate fall off in the number of people cycling,” he told 5 live Drive.

“In New South Wales there was a 36% reduction in people cycling and that included a 90% reduction in the number of teenage girls who rode a bike to school.”

This clip is originally from 5 live Drive on 22 September 2016.

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