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Pushing your bike along in Derby city centre? The law would like a word...

Police blitz on cyclists in pedestrian zones sees officers also talk to those who have dismounted

Police in Derby have stopped almost 300 cyclists in the past two days as they enforce a two-week clampdown on people riding their bikes through the centre of the East Midlands city, including many who are quite legally pushing their bikes along after complying with signs telling them to dismount.

The campaign ostensibly targets those cyclists who ignore such signs in designated “no vehicle” zones in the city centre, and according to the website This Is Derbyshire, the most affected areas are Cornmarket, the Morledge and St Peter's Street.

The police, acting in partnership with council officials in response to complaints apparently made by disabled and older residents regarding people cycling within pedestrianised areas, stopped 88 people on Monday and 204 yesterday.

Those figures include cyclists who weren't actually doing anything wrong, with Sergeant Nick Allgood from Derby City Safer Neighbourhood Team confirming that those who were simply pushing their bikes along were also spoken to.

"We spoke to these people to ensure that they knew about the restrictions," he explained, adding that although cyclists should already be aware of existing no entry signs in the affected area, posters would also be put up setting out the rules.

A Derby City Council spokesman said that it was expected that 800 people would be spoken to by the time the campaign finished, although given the number of cyclists stopped in the first 48 hours, that figure could be comfortably exceeded.

Signs have recently been placed in the city centre telling cyclists to dismount, and transgressors can face a £30 fixed penalty notice.

Councillor Chris Poulter, cabinet member for neighbourhoods, told the website that the initiative had been successful in its first two days.

"It has certainly raised awareness to the issue,” he said. “The majority of people seem to be taking the advice give.”

He continued: "Some people have been riding through the city centre for a long time and so it will take some getting used to. But the number of people who have been stopped shows it is a significant issue."

A spokesperson for Cycle Derby told the website that cyclists in the city now had more options thanks to the opening of a new ring road, adding that “works currently ongoing at Cheapside, Wardwick, Strand and the Morledge will make the city even more attractive and convenient for people using two wheels.”
 

 

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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12 comments

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Simon_MacMichael | 13 years ago
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Thanks wildnorthlands, having checked Cycle Derby website, Iooks like it is the 'Route 66' circular route that appears on the Derby cycling map they refer to (although original article did say "ring road")

http://www.cyclederby.co.uk/files/city_cycle_map_new.pdf

Tempers getting a bit heated on the This Is Derbyshire website over this story...

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wildnorthlands | 13 years ago
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@alatronic, to be fair to Cycle Derby I think they meant a cycle ring *route*, which has been in the planning for some time. Derby has had a ring *road* for a long time (& it is one of the most cycle-unfriendly roads in the UK, IMO)

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Bigpikle | 13 years ago
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with the same logic the police should stop all car drivers, even those driving within the speed limits and safely, and 'remind' them about the speed limits and how to drive safely - what a waste of time  37

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bikeandy61 | 13 years ago
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Are disability carriages allowed in PEDESTRIAN zones? As the bobbies are out on the street are they also nicking litter louts and warning other citizens that they shouldn't drop litter, just in case they are thinking of doing so?

In reality it is hard to criticise this as in reality cyclists are breaking by laws. It just takes the biscuit that people pushing bikes have also been talked to.

I really am getting fed up of cyclists being what to me seems to be nothing short of victimised. The Daily Mail brigade see us in the same light as immigrants and "terrorists". I just don't understand the hatred.  39  13

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Blackhound | 13 years ago
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This is my my usual route to work with hardly anybody about. Through the market place (to right of pic), Cornmarket and up St Peters Street. I don't come home that way or at other times of the day because it is busy with pedestrians. But you still see young eejits flying down St Peters St round pedestrians ruining it for all of us.

It has been one way 'down' the hill for years but loads of us rode up at 7.30ish or earlier or late at night with few people about. A council source once told me that the council wanted to introduce bike taxi's like you see in London but this meant St Peter's St would be open two way for bike traffic. The old and disabled community didn't want it....

Another 9 weeks and I will not need to worry about getting to work:-)

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swldxer | 13 years ago
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Here in Hull, the police regularly drive around the no vehicles pedestrian areas in their cars, driving through a no entry sign to get there. They drive in all of the bus only lanes as well.

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alotronic | 13 years ago
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I love the way that they think a better ring road is going to help things for people who are riding into the centre. Good logic there friend!

A

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handlebarcam | 13 years ago
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Quote:

blue-rinse Hondas

I believe that is actually a new model in the 2011 Honda range.

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andylul | 13 years ago
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"It's funny how those old dears don't mention the parking and inconsiderate driving I see in the town every time I'm there"

Try and walk or cycle past the Gala Bingo Hall in my home town and the pavement and double-yellows are strewn with blue-badge, blue-rinse Hondas, Protons and Wagon-R's left like Stevie Wonder has done the valet parking.

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simonmb | 13 years ago
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I can't see the harm in reinforcing the public's knowledge of regulations. We've complained for years about not having enough bobbies on the beat, now here they are going about things in a friendly manner - I don't think anyone has complained of harassment - and still it proves to be a source for complaint. Now they've proved they have the resources to tackle cyclists, perhaps the police would next like to do something equally visible to improve awareness to motorists of their own responsibilities.

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Simon E | 13 years ago
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Why hassle people pushing their bikes? Just in case they are thinking of committing a crime, perhaps.

A similar 'zero tolerance' policy was announced in Shrewsbury after complaints by old biddies at a Local Joint Committee meeting (aka Old People's Grumbling Forum. My wife has been to two on behalf of the allotment committee and they are very petty). I have no idea if resources have been allocated to this action or whether West Mercia punted out a press release and then got on with business as usual.

It's funny how those old dears don't mention the parking and inconsiderate driving I see in the town every time I'm there. Although I don't think riding on the pavement is terribly clever, particularly if it intimidates pedestrians, I'm not surprised people do it with the density and speed of traffic in the town centre.

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Jon Burrage | 13 years ago
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So with that logic the police should stop all pedestrians and warn them about riding a bike through the centre should they ever choose to and also to drivers, they may have a bike at home...wouldnt want you to ride it through the centre sir.

Wierd and not exactly an effective use of police resources in my opinion

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