Norwich has become the latest city to launch a crackdown on anti-social cycling, with nearly 200 riders stopped by police in the Earlham Road area for cycling on the pavement or riding without lights.
Police stopped 186 cyclists in total, with five issued with £30 penalty notices after they were caught a second time. Inspector Nigel Richards of the Norfolk Police’s West Centre community policing team told Norwich Evening News: “We have stopped nearly 200 cyclists who have committed offences, both cycling on the pavements and riding without lights at dusk.”
“We have spoken to numerous cyclists and educated them as many are aware of the law or where the cycle path ends,” Inspector Richards continued. However if this warning is ignored then we take a more robust approach and issue a on the spot fine of £30. “Footpaths are there for the safety of pedestrians and not cyclists. If cyclists do not feel safe riding on busy roads then they should walk with their bicycle on footpaths.”
The initiative was launched after a meeting in October of the Safer Neighbourhood Action Panel and was publicised through posters in local shops and adverts in material published by the University of East Anglia.
The paper highlighted one resident of Earlham Road, Cameron Spencer, who had been hit by a cyclist riding on the pavement, forcing him to take over three weeks off work and use painkilling drugs.
“I walked out of my gate and just felt an impact,” said Mr Spencer. “I felt a shooting pain down one leg, I had no recognition of the bike until it hit me,” he added, saying, “I was on the floor and the guy came off his bike, I was in excruciating pain. But he didn't seem very bothered and just disappeared. I am very, very angry about it. For three weeks I was in a great deal of pain.”
Mr Spencer told the paper that while he was recovering he was hit by a second cyclist, and that the effects of the accident had contributed to his decision to close down the shop he ran, The Period House Store.
Born in Scotland, Simon moved to London aged seven and now lives in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds with his miniature schnauzer, Elodie. He fell in love with cycling one Saturday morning in 1994 while living in Italy when Milan-San Remo went past his front door. A daily cycle commuter in London back before riding to work started to boom, he's been news editor at road.cc since 2009. Handily for work, he speaks French and Italian. He doesn't get to ride his Colnago as often as he'd like, and freely admits he's much more adept at cooking than fettling with bikes.