Motoring lawyer Nick Freeman has called on the UK government to make it mandatory for cyclists to have insurance in place if they are to use their bikes on the road.

The legal professional, who is better known as Mr Loophole for his propensity to help celebrities dodge speeding charges using technicalities, made the comments on TalkRadio alongside suggestions that cyclists be made more identifiable to bring them under the same level of scrutiny as other road users.

“Lack of cars has allowed a culture of toxic cycling to prevail on our empty roads as some riders claim the highways as their own,” he said.

“It has made some cyclists ride with a sense of dangerous entitlement.”

The Covid-19 lockdown has led to a boost in cycling and the buying of bicycles, with many, including the PM Boris Johnson, expecting the activity to continue among the population once the measures are lifted.

If that prediction comes true, both cyclists and drivers will have to coexist safely on the road, and Freeman believes insurance must be part of the plan to ensure that.

He told TalkRadio he is lobbying for changes that would require cyclists to have insurance and be punished for breaking road laws with penalty points.