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Outrage as police ban ALL cycling in Newport city centre

It will be an offence to cycle through town from next month

Cyclists and business owners have expressed outrage at news that cyclists are to be banned from Newport’s city centre from next month.

Gwent Police have named 11 streets which cyclists are now no longer able to use thanks to what they call incidents of cycling in an “anti-social manner”.

The ban will cover Bridge Street, Cambrian Street, Charles Street, Commercial Street, Corn Street, Griffin Street, High Street, Market Street, Skinner Street, Stow Hill and Upper Dock Street, between the hours of 11am and midnight, meaning a cyclist who commuted to work might find themselves walking home.

Warning letters will be handed out and cyclists flouting the ban will be made to hand over their personal details. Fixed penalties will be brought in at a later date.

The Gwent Police website stated:

Over the next few weeks officers will be enforcing a traffic order to prohibit cycling through the city centre of Newport.

It follows recent reports of a number of incidents of those causing a danger to pedestrians during busy times.

 In particular Gwent Police have received calls from local businesses and residents who have noticed groups of people cycling through the city centre anti-socially.

 For example some cyclists are pulling what's known as a wheelie, swerving in and out of people and causing a nuisance to businesses and shoppers going about their daily business.

 Officers will now be handing out warning letters to cyclist in the city centre, in order to educate them and warn them of subsequent enforcements they face.

 Details will also be taken of those who are issued with the warnings to avoid repeat offenders.

 Following this educational period, officers will then move on to the next stage and start issuing fixed penalties to those seen cycling through the busy city centre.

There is no timescale for the ban, described as an “on-going project”, according to the South Wales Argus.

Paul Hawkins of Diverse Music in Charles Street told the paper: “If this was April I think it would be an April Fools. How can you ban cyclists from the city centre?

“You can’t ban cyclists from the road. I do cycle to work occasionally, what would I have to do, dismount and then walk? It’s pointless.”

Jo Roberts of Cedar’s Café said: “We get people cycling on the pavements up here but that’s already illegal so I don’t think you need to put bans in place. You should be encouraging cycling.

“There’s lots of PCSOs and policing in the city centre and the rules are enough without having bans. You look towards more progressive cities and they always move towards facilitating cycling.”

But Mazlum Kara, owner of the Coffee Shop on Upper Dock Street, said: “There are too many cyclists, there are groups of young teenagers, maybe about aged 10 to 13.

“They congregate and scare people and in the school holidays you will see them more. And with the bus station next door to us, they hang around and they are anti-social. We will love the ban.”

Crime and disorder reduction officer Leanne Pole said: “The first part of this action is about educating the public, many who may be unaware it is an offence to cycle in the city centre of Newport.

“The area is extremely busy with pedestrians and for safety purposes we should be enforcing these measures.”

A spokeswoman for Gwent Police added: "Police are enforcing this under the traffic order made by Newport City council in 1998.

"The hours of this enforcement are between 11am and midnight."

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44 comments

Avatar
Grahamd | 7 years ago
0 likes

Was there today and saw some PCSOs calmy informing two cyclists on their mountain bikes that they needed to dismount. They were going down a one way streeet the wrong way.

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bendertherobot | 7 years ago
1 like

So, things are becoming a bit clearer. Several pedestrian areas are subject to the ban and, within the pedestrian zone, some of them are what you would call roads and others not.

It's actually a prohibition between 11-5 every day and not midnight as the article claims. And it applies to all vehicles. 

The only issue is that google maps shows access vehicles parked there DURING 11-5 so I've asked how those vehicles get there/leave. 

If ALL vehicles are in fact treated equally then the social issue is still poor but legally it's all ok.

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Billy1mate | 7 years ago
2 likes

The ban is because the police cannot manage the situation, I expect it is a small minority spoiling it for the majority which is usually the case. The whole banning cyclist in Newport is laughable and the police should be ashamed of themselves, what makes it more embarrassing for the police is it is 10-13 year old kids. Come on Newport police sort your act out you're Looking a bit silly.

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mrmo replied to Billy1mate | 7 years ago
1 like

Billy1mate wrote:

The ban is because the police cannot manage the situation, 

 

Which does raise the question, if they can't police the current situation how do they intend to police the revised situation? 

 

 

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Rich_cb replied to mrmo | 7 years ago
1 like
mrmo wrote:

Billy1mate wrote:

The ban is because the police cannot manage the situation, 

 

Which does raise the question, if they can't police the current situation how do they intend to police the revised situation? 

 

 

To be fair to the police they do have everything else completely under control.

They therefore have plenty of resources available to tackle the scourge of cyclists riding on roads....

"£60m Newport building project axed over violence claims -"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-36914210

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sdeviney1 | 7 years ago
0 likes

I don't know Newport, but would it be possible for the police to more actively engage the cycling community in the area to help them monitor cycling during certain times or days of the week? Somewhat a thought of the cycling community helping the police to confirm who the real violators are and to attempt to reason with them (if possible) to more appropriately ride, or avoid pedestrianised areas?

I am a frequent road rider here in the Denver, Colorado area and see my share of other cyclists not observing traffic laws. It is aggravating since it gives all cyclists a bad name. As a community of cyclists, we do try to monitor and if possible film rides (e.g. GoPro or Fly6, etc) whether to spot dangerous driving or bad mannered cyclists. We even had a website to which such video and reports can be posted with public access provided.

 

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muppetteer | 7 years ago
0 likes

Please Road.cc, could you organise a ride through Newport? 

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tritecommentbot replied to muppetteer | 7 years ago
0 likes

muppetteer wrote:

Please Road.cc, could you organise a ride through Newport? 

 

Organise an all-nighter crit around Newport city centre starting at 12.01 until 10.59 wink

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SimonS | 7 years ago
1 like

Considerate 'shared use' cycling really shouldn't be an issue in the pedestrianised parts of Newport Town Centre.  

It's worth a look at the 'Newport Cycle Map' - even by UK standards theres a shocking lack of cycle infrastructure.   The yellow on this map is a tiny distance and doens't actually go anywhere.

http://www.newport.gov.uk/documents/Leisure-and-Tourism/Cycle-Map-Newpor...

The promising looking 'traffic free cycle route' out along the A48 actually carries on for some way.   I grew up there and didn't remember it either from my youth or driving there recently.  That's because it's just roadside footpath reclassified as shared use where you have to cross every side road without protection as if a pedestrian. 

It actually carries on a lot of the way towards Chepstow.  Again, without any priority over side roads.  

At Langstone (https://goo.gl/maps/WobLYZwy5962) it takes a pointless diversion on Tregarn Road (up a hill) rather than carrying along the A48 on the flat for no good reason.

No shortage of space on the A48 - huge sections have a full lane hatched out  in the centre

https://goo.gl/maps/VugAaq1DrcC2   

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mikebelluk | 7 years ago
1 like

The fat shiny arsed coppers should get away from their workstations and do some proper policing. Simple. Apply the law strictly and anti social behaviour and crime goes down as proven in New York.

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TonautBrom | 7 years ago
0 likes

It might be worth issuing a legal challenge based on the failure of the Council to meet its duties under the Active Travel Act 2013. 

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bendertherobot replied to TonautBrom | 7 years ago
0 likes

TonautBrom wrote:

It might be worth issuing a legal challenge based on the failure of the Council to meet its duties under the Active Travel Act 2013. 

Doubtful. There's quite a lot of have regard in there which is not all that onerous. The integrated maps are due in a while yet. And, of course, active travel includes walking, so it's arguable that prohibiting cycling promotes safer walking. I'd not spend my money on a challenge.

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foot_loose | 7 years ago
0 likes

Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984

 

What a traffic regulation order may provide.

(1)[F1A traffic regulation order may make] any provision prohibiting, restricting or regulating the use of a road, or of any part of the width of a road, by vehicular traffic, or by vehicular traffic of any class specified in the order,—

(a)either generally or subject to such exceptions as may be specified in the order or determined in a manner provided for by it, and

(b)subject to such exceptions as may be so specified or determined, either at all times or at times, on days or during periods so specified.

(2)[F2The provision that may be made by a traffic regulation order] includes any provision—

(a)requiring vehicular traffic, or vehicular traffic of any class specified in the order, to proceed in a specified direction or prohibiting its so proceeding;

(b)specifying the part of the carriageway to be used by such traffic proceeding in a specified direction;

(c)prohibiting or restricting the waiting of vehicles or the loading and unloading of vehicles;

(d)prohibiting the use of roads by through traffic; or

(e)prohibiting or restricting overtaking.

 

Avatar
kenyond | 7 years ago
1 like

Newport is bad enough as it is, the amount of chavs walking thier dogs is probably worse than the occasional cyclist (though normally its the offspring of said chavs on the bikes). Newport needs to deal with them and all the drugs and make it a nicer place to visit before worrying about the cyclists 

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mrmo | 7 years ago
2 likes

i guess the gwent police are going to ban cars from the Coldra area of the M4, loads of crashes and plenty of anti social driving going on. 

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Ush | 7 years ago
6 likes

Brilliant advertisement for Newport.  Young, feral hoodies swarming the city center while pearl-clutching Daily Mail plod impose taliban-like punishments on cyclists.

I'll just add Newport to my list of places-I-will-not-visit.

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Grahamd replied to Ush | 7 years ago
4 likes

Ush wrote:

Brilliant advertisement for Newport.  Young, feral hoodies swarming the city center while pearl-clutching Daily Mail plod impose taliban-like punishments on cyclists.

I'll just add Newport to my list of places-I-will-not-visit.

 

As someone who has worked in Newport, don't know why you would visit in the first place.

 

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. . replied to Grahamd | 7 years ago
1 like

Grahamd wrote:

As someone who has worked in Newport, don't know why you would visit in the first place.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eijc2tGe-zM

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brooksby replied to Grahamd | 7 years ago
0 likes

Grahamd wrote:

As someone who has worked in Newport, don't know why you would visit in the first place.

Well, there was this girl, this one time...  3

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Jimnm | 7 years ago
1 like

Bloody hooligans on bikes. Just confiscate the offenders bikes. It's a bit harsh imposing a blanket ban. I would say it should be appealed against by lobbying the town hall. 

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kie7077 | 7 years ago
2 likes

Will they also be banning all motor vehicles on roads that have incidents of bad driving?

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BarefootBrian | 7 years ago
5 likes

So, because SOME cyclists are behaving in an anti-social way, ALL cyslists are now banned from these roads? I would suggest that because SOME mototists drive dangerously (whilst using mobile phones, jumping red lights, ...) ALL motorists should also be banned from the roads. Seems fair to me.

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severs1966 | 7 years ago
2 likes

Since when did the police write laws? How can they make it illegal to ride on a road somewhere?

I mean, they already choose which laws to enforce (massively to the detriment of bike riders, because cops hate bike riders in general) but laws are statutory things, and are not written by cops.

Are they using some sort of Traffic Regulation Order thing?

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bendertherobot replied to severs1966 | 7 years ago
1 like

severs1966 wrote:

Since when did the police write laws? How can they make it illegal to ride on a road somewhere?

I mean, they already choose which laws to enforce (massively to the detriment of bike riders, because cops hate bike riders in general) but laws are statutory things, and are not written by cops.

Are they using some sort of Traffic Regulation Order thing?

Yes. Or some bylaws. It's a poorly written piece but, it appears, the police are choosing to enforce an existing ban. Quite what the legal basis is, is unclear. I've tweeted NCC and will follow this up.

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Metaphor | 7 years ago
1 like

Boycott Newport.

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Username | 7 years ago
11 likes

Car drivers are a big problem were I live: speeding, knocking down old ladies, killing children.

I look forward to a car ban in my area soon.

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hawkinspeter replied to Username | 7 years ago
8 likes

Username wrote:

Car drivers are a big problem were I live: speeding, knocking down old ladies, killing children.

I look forward to a car ban in my area soon.

I've seen lots of drunken pedestrians around pubs and night clubs all over Bristol. I welcome a complete pedestrian ban in the center of Bristol.

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brooksby replied to hawkinspeter | 7 years ago
0 likes

hawkinspeter wrote:

Username wrote:

Car drivers are a big problem were I live: speeding, knocking down old ladies, killing children.

I look forward to a car ban in my area soon.

I've seen lots of drunken pedestrians around pubs and night clubs all over Bristol. I welcome a complete pedestrian ban in the center of Bristol.

With the amount of road works for Metrobus, and the new road being built across to the Hippodrome, I think they're working on it  3

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StuInNorway | 7 years ago
5 likes

Judging my Streetview most of the roads are currently open for traffic, at least for some of the day. Enforcing a cycling ban outside of the marked traffic lanes (there are bollards between driving and walking areas) is no issue. A blanket ban because "some people" musise the area . .  that's great, think of the reduction in costs for upkeep on motorways when they ban cars as "some" drivers travel at excessive speeds !
"Some" people can't hold their booze / know when tostop, so we ban pubs too.
Those who are causing a nuisance can be dealt with under existing laws, if they choose to do so.  No need to punish those who follow the rules to stop the few who don't.

Most towns today are trying to get more people to cycle, seems it's South Wales and New South Wales that go against the grain.....

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AndyEbike | 7 years ago
9 likes

It's the inevitable result of letting a bad situation exist. Plymouth City Centre is pedestrianised and I have yet to visit there without seeing at least one idiot weaving at high speed through the throngs of shoppers. Yes, the problem is a small number of mainly (but not exclusively) young males but all the general public sees are antisocial, dangerous CYCLISTS. The police stand by and watch little old ladies cringing as some goon on a mountain bike (it's usually an MTB) misses her by inches at high speed. Eventually someone is going to call for a crackdown (there are already signs forbidding cycling) and the people who shop there will support it fully. That means the police, who could have nipped the problem in the bud by stopping these a***holes every time they saw them and charging them (plenty of offences to pick from) will start treating ALL cyclists as the enemy. Then there will by cries about cyclists being victimised. As cyclists we rightly complain about our protected space being invaded as motorists park in cycle lanes etc. but when cyclists - even a small number - invade pedestrian spaces we don't do the wider cycling cause any good at all. The answer? Press Plod to intervene and stop the antisocial few. I've tried it and been met with indifference. I think their attitude is that eventually cyclists will, like Newport, be banned from the entire City Centre and then the problem will go away. So I don't, of course, agree with what Newport are doing but I can see how the situation arises and why councillors think they will have majority support for their actions.

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