British lawmakers are weighing up changes to road rules which could see cyclists face the same punishment as drivers for serious incidents.

The proposal was triggered by a landmark case surrounding the death of Kim Briggs, a female pedestrian knocked down by a speeding cyclist on a fixed-gear bike with no front brakes in 2016.

20-year-old cyclist Charlie Alliston was sentenced to 18 months in custody in 2017 for “wanton or furious driving”, an offence dating back to the 1860s.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment, while reckless drivers face up to 14 years behind bars.

The UK Government is currently open to consultation surrounding changes to the way cyclists are treated by the law, potentially introducing careless or dangerous cycling laws which could see cyclists face up to 14 years in jail.

Licences, registrations and demerit points for cyclists have already been ruled out - the changes would only affect serious incidents.

Road users are debating the benefits of potential changes. Safety and breakdown organisation Gem Motoring Assist released a statement on Wednesday saying “we want all road users to feel equal under the law”.

“That’s why we believe that cyclists who kill or seriously injure pedestrians should be treated in the same way as dangerous drivers,” Gem spokesman Neil Worth said.

“If we are to encourage more people to take up cycling and walking, then we must ensure there is a joined-up and consistent way of dealing with road users who flout the rules, whether through ignorance, carelessness or deliberately high-risk behaviour.”

British authorities announced plans for a full review of road rules four years ago, but it has not taken place.

Cycling UK released a statement on Saturday saying new laws targeting cyclists would not address broader problems surrounding road safety.

The group says 99.4 per cent of British pedestrian deaths in the last 10 years involved a motor vehicle, and that “the number of cases involving collisions between cyclists and pedestrians remains relatively low”.

Duncan Dollimore, head of campaigns for Cycling UK, says “adding one or two new offences specific to cyclists would be merely tinkering around the edges”.

"If the Government is serious about addressing behaviour that puts others at risk on our roads, they should grasp the opportunity to do the job properly, rather than attempt to patch up an area of legislation that’s simply not working.”