Greater Manchester Police have revealed that hundreds of cyclists in Manchester have been issued £80 fines for “dangerous and irresponsible” cycling on the city’s Oxford Road and Wilmslow Road in recent months.
Since February, officers have issued 415 fixed penalty notices for a range of offences including riding through red traffic lights or on the pavement, using a mobile phone while riding, and riding without lights.
The fines have been issued on ten separate “days of action” between February and June as part of Operation Grimaldi, which police say focuses on “on ‘hot spot’ areas where pedal cyclists have been seen using the roads dangerously or irresponsibly.”
Cyclists issued with the fixed penalty notices were given the opportunity to avoid paying fines by attending cycling awareness courses.
Traffic PCSO Gareth Walker commented: “The aim of the operation was not to fine all offenders but to educate them, offer training and promote road safety.
“Many of the cyclists we spoke to were not aware of the danger they put themselves and others in by the actions they were taking while failing to stop or being distracted on their phones.
“The number of killed or seriously injured on the roads has fallen over the last two years but we need to continue to educate road users of how to share the roads safely in order to ensure these numbers continue to fall.”
One local cycle campaigner told the Manchester Evening News that while it was right to take action against cyclists flouting the rules, police should also target motorists who break the law.
Pete Abel of the Love Your Bike campaign told the newspaper: “We are in favour of taking action against people who cycle poorly and anti-socially, but we don’t see an equivalent crackdown on drivers.
“When cyclists runs a red light it is usually inconvenient, when a driver does it is downright dangerous.”
Transport for Greater Manchester plans to install segregated cycle lanes along parts of Oxford Road as part of its Bus Priority scheme. The proposals are open to public consultation until 5 July.
Add new comment
35 comments
No it doesn't, you are just ranting - like most car drivers it seems.
*yawns* except it isn't, i hope you need to never use one.
Which proves why they are doing it, it seems.
It's drivers that are the problem, everyone knows that but hey why go after the problem when you can persecute the victims.
An awareness course is a load of rubbish, just another cash cow it seems.
Police have slapped 400 cyclists with fines in just 10 days as part of a crackdown on 'dangerous and irresponsible' biking.
The £30 penalty notices were handed out along Oxford Road and Wilmslow Road for offences such as running red lights, not having lights fitted, cycling on footpaths and using mobile phones whilst cycling.
Cyclists were also fined for dangerously weaving in and out of traffic.
It was part of Greater Manchester Police’s ‘Operation Grimaldi’ – with the Oxford Road corridor identified as a dangerous cycling hotspot on 10 ‘days of action’ between February and June this year.
Cyclists were given the chance to escape the fines by attending cycling awareness events at Moss Side and Withington fire stations.
Around 340 of the cyclists handed the fines took up the offer.
GMP say the operation was aimed at educating cyclists about keeping safe on the road.
PCSO Gareth Walker said: “Many of the cyclists we spoke to were not aware of the danger they put themselves and others in by the actions they were taking while failing to stop or being distracted on their phones.
“The number of killed or seriously injured on the roads has fallen over the last two years but we need to continue to educate road users of how to share the roads safely in order to ensure these numbers continue to fall.”
But a cycling campaigner said the operation was ‘one-sided’ – urged police to concentrate on motorists instead.
Pete Abel, from the Love Your Bike campaign, said: “We are in favour of taking action against people who cycle poorly and anti-socially, but we don’t see an equivalent crackdown on drivers.
“When cyclists runs a red light it is usually inconvenient, when a driver does it is downright dangerous.”
Every adult in Greater Manchester is entitled to six hours free cycle training and education about cycle safety. For more information go to www.tfgm.com/cycling.
So reading the article 80% handed there £30 pound fines back so no revenue generation there. I wonder if 400 car drivers ran red lights the cycling fraternity would be nuclear. In my opinion trying to educate all road users to share the road should be commended. Motorists that commit offences such as speeding their courses are around 90 pounds. Look likes cyclists get a good deal so stop whining. It also links a page to adult cycling training looks like they are trying to reduce serious incidents with cyclists. Who ever posted the web news has this wrong and is trying to get a biased opinion. Everyone wants to get home safe at the end of the day
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/poli...
Pages