What the research actually found
There is a well-known study behind the idea that vans pass cyclists more closely than cars. It is worth setting out accurately, because it is quoted loosely all over the internet.
The work was carried out by Dr Ian Walker, then at the University of Bath, using a bicycle fitted with an ultrasonic distance sensor. Riding in Salisbury and Bristol in 2006, he recorded more than 2,500 overtakes and measured how much room each vehicle left. The research was funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and published in Accident Analysis and Prevention.
Comparing white light goods vehicles with black cars, the average passing distance was around 1.26 metres for the vans and 1.36 metres for the cars. Vans passed roughly ten centimetres closer, and the difference held up statistically.
Two things worth saying about that. Ten centimetres is a real difference and, at the margin, ten centimetres is the gap between a close pass and a collision. But it is also a difference in averages, not a description of every van driver, and the study could not say why. Walker himself listed the possibilities as personality, vehicle factors such as difficulty judging width from a wider cab, or social factors including time pressure and the relative anonymity of an unmarked white van.
We would add a fourth, from experience: a loaded van handles differently from a car, sits higher, has worse rear visibility, and is often being driven to a schedule. None of that excuses a close pass. It does explain why professional drivers need training that ordinary licence holders never receive.
What the Highway Code now requires
The Code changed substantially in January 2022, well after that research was published, and the rules are now considerably more specific.
The hierarchy of road users. Rule H1 establishes that those who can do the greatest harm bear the greatest responsibility to reduce the danger they pose. A van driver sits well up that hierarchy, above cars, and above them only lorries and buses. Cyclists and pedestrians sit at the top as the most vulnerable.
Rule 163: passing distance. Leave at least 1.5 metres when overtaking a cyclist at speeds up to 30 mph, and more at higher speeds. Give more space again in bad weather, high winds and at night. If you cannot meet that clearance, you wait. That last part is the bit drivers most often ignore: not overtaking is an option, and on a narrow London street it is frequently the only correct one.
Rule 213: road positioning. Cyclists may ride in the centre of the lane on narrow roads, at junctions and in slow traffic, and may ride two abreast. They are entitled to do so, and it is usually safer for them.
Rule 239: the Dutch Reach. Open your door with the hand furthest from it, which turns your body and makes you look behind. Relevant to anyone parking a van on a busy road, which for us is every working day.
Failing to leave adequate room can be treated as careless driving, which carries a fixed penalty and points, and considerably more if a court gets involved.
Why this matters for a removals company
London has more cyclists than anywhere else in the UK, and a removals lorry spends its day doing exactly the things that create risk: pulling in and out of tight parking, reversing near junctions, working alongside cycle lanes, and loading from the kerb.
What that means in practice:
- Parking position matters more than driving. A van parked across a cycle lane forces riders out into moving traffic. Where a bay suspension is available, use it, and where it is not, think about where the van forces people to go.
- Loading discipline. Crew stepping out into a cycle lane with a wardrobe is a hazard the driver cannot see coming. Someone should be watching the road side of the vehicle.
- Doors. The Dutch Reach is not just for cars. Van doors are heavier and open wider.
- Reversing. In a residential street with a loaded Luton, mirrors are not enough. A banksman on the ground is the difference between a routine manoeuvre and an incident.
- Time pressure is the underlying cause. Most close passes come from a driver running late. Realistic scheduling is a safety measure, not an efficiency one.
What cyclists can do around removal vans
Not everything is on the driver, and a removals vehicle behaves differently from a car in ways worth knowing.
- Assume the driver cannot see you anywhere close to the nearside rear. Blind spots on a box van are large.
- Do not undertake a stationary removals lorry, particularly near a junction. The crew may be about to open a tailgate or step out.
- Give the tail swing room. A long vehicle turning tight will swing its rear across space you might be occupying.
- Take the lane where it is too narrow to be passed safely. Rule 213 supports you, and it is safer than inviting a squeeze.
Frequently asked questions
How much room must a driver give a cyclist in the UK? At least 1.5 metres when overtaking at speeds of up to 30 mph, and more at higher speeds, under Rule 163 of the Highway Code. More space again in bad weather or at night. If that clearance is not possible, the driver should wait rather than overtake.
Do vans really pass cyclists more closely than cars? On average, yes. Research by Dr Ian Walker at the University of Bath, using an instrumented bicycle in Salisbury and Bristol, found white light goods vehicles passed roughly ten centimetres closer than black cars across more than 2,500 recorded overtakes. It is a difference in averages rather than a statement about any individual driver.
What is the hierarchy of road users? Introduced to the Highway Code in January 2022, it places responsibility in proportion to the harm a road user can cause. Drivers of large vehicles carry the greatest responsibility, and pedestrians and cyclists, being most vulnerable, are at the top of the hierarchy.
Is it illegal to pass a cyclist too closely? The 1.5 metre figure is guidance rather than a distinct offence, but a close pass can be prosecuted as careless driving, which carries a fixed penalty and penalty points, with heavier sanctions available in court.
Can cyclists ride in the middle of the lane? Yes. Rule 213 recognises that riding in the centre of the lane is often safer on narrow roads, at junctions and in slow traffic, and that cyclists may ride two abreast. Drivers should allow it.
What is the Dutch Reach? Opening a vehicle door with the hand furthest from it, so that your body turns and you look behind before opening. It is in Rule 239 and it prevents dooring collisions with cyclists and motorcyclists.
How we work
RMV Storage & Removals has driven London's streets for over fifteen years, handling house and office removals, man and van work, packing services and container storage delivered to your door, across every area we cover.
If you want the background on what a man and van service is and how it differs from full removals, our guide to the term explains it, and how a man and van booking works covers the practicalities. Otherwise get in touch about a move.
Written by Riki Migliori, Director at RMV Storage & Removals. Originally published October 2014. Fully reviewed and updated summer 2026.