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Shopping centre group obtains High Court injunction banning anti-social cycling

Cycling UK says move seems "excessive" - and warns it could apply to shoppers looking for somewhere to park their bike...

Anti-social cyclists who ride their bikes through some of the UK’s biggest shopping centres could face a fine or even imprisonment after the company that owns the sites obtained a High Court injunction.

The charity Cycling UK has called the move “excessive,” and has highlighted that the injunction could also apply to people arriving at a shopping centre by bike who ride up to the designated cycle parking area.

Intu Properties, which owns or part-owns 18 shopping centres throughout the UK, obtained the injunction in response to antisocial riding at its Intu Broadmarsh and Intu Victoria Centre sites in the East Midlands city, reports the Nottingham Post.

The injunction, which has been in force since 16 April, reportedly applies to all of Intu’s locations, which include the Arndale Centre and Trafford Centre in Greater Manchester and Gateshead’s Metrocentre.

It prevents people from riding bikes, go-karts or any other vehicle through any Intu shopping centre or car park.

According to a company spokesman, the injunction was obtained due to people riding antisocially through the centres in Nottingham, performing stunts and posting videos of them to social media.

The spokesman added that staff at the shopping centres had attempted to speak to the individuals concerned but the problem has persisted.

Intu Broadmarsh’s general manager Nigel Wheatley, quoted in the Nottingham Post, said: “Intu Broadmarsh is a family friendly environment and we want everyone to feel safe and enjoy themselves when they visit us.

“That’s why we’ve taken out an injunction to stop people from riding bikes, go-karts or any other vehicle through our centres.

“We’re not happy that we’ve had to take this action, but we’re just not prepared to take risks when it comes to safety.”

Sam Jones, senior campaign officer at Cycling UK, told road.cc that the injunction seemed “excessive.”

He said: “Cycling UK does not condone illegal cycling and, as shopping centres are not usually part of the public highway, people should not be riding through them at speed or at all, unless suitable provision is made.

“Nevertheless, the actions taken by the Intu Broadmarsh and Victoria Centres do seem excessive.”

He also questioned why it was being applied not just to the centres themselves, but also the car parks, where cyclists shopping at the centres would find bike parking.

“It is concerning to read media reports that cycling is banned in the carpark along with other vehicles,” he said.

“People should have every right to cycle up to their cycle parking spots – as presumably this ban on all vehicles won’t mean drivers will have to push their cars into their parking places!”

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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17 comments

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BehindTheBikesheds | 5 years ago
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Police are quite happy to ram bike thieves with a van as seen not that long back and indeed I read on the CUK forum i think it was of someone being pulled (literally) off their bike at a traffic stop with no warning that caused them bruising not to mention the shock of being physically dragged to the side.

This won't affect me personally as I won't put any footfall for anti cycling organisations.

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alotronic | 5 years ago
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Hmmmm.... while I agree that they might have gone too far I am wondering about the liability in the current law if one of those guards pulls that twunt off his bike - would they then be liable for assault? If that was the case (as with the stpidity around police not stopping scooter crims for fear of being prosecuted themselves) then you would have to say a boost to the rights of the guards might be a good thing - better someone like this is able to be *physically restrained* as they go about their business. I suspect those riders know the laws very well and know that they can't really be stopped. Hence the 'upgrade' that would presumably remove some of that liability from the guards?  

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hawkinspeter replied to alotronic | 5 years ago
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alotronic wrote:

Hmmmm.... while I agree that they might have gone too far I am wondering about the liability in the current law if one of those guards pulls that twunt off his bike - would they then be liable for assault? If that was the case (as with the stpidity around police not stopping scooter crims for fear of being prosecuted themselves) then you would have to say a boost to the rights of the guards might be a good thing - better someone like this is able to be *physically restrained* as they go about their business. I suspect those riders know the laws very well and know that they can't really be stopped. Hence the 'upgrade' that would presumably remove some of that liability from the guards?  

A private guard has no right to assault anyone (excepting self-defence), no matter the legality of what the perp is doing, so the liability would be exactly the same.

I don't know what you're referring to with "police not stopping scooter croms for fear of being prosecuted" - care to share some info?

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BehindTheBikesheds | 5 years ago
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Why accept the fine (a fine is a civil matter not criminal/law), just tell them to do one, imprisoned is laughable or are they going to call the cops over someone riding their bike to get to the shopping centre that in fact is not anti social at all.

What about someone who needs their cycle for mobility purposes, are they going to pull them off that and fine/imprison them. any place invoking this kind of bullshit won't get my business.

I reckon the injunction is unlawful and the judge was being the usual motorcentric/anti cycling dick, should be appealed.

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STATO | 5 years ago
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I think what a lot of people are missing here is its obviously targeted at certain groups, by going heavy handed they are trying to stop would be 'vloggers' cop-catting. If they post videos of themselves doing stuff INTU now have a clear path to prosecute them, if you cant post a video or instagram about it, most of them arnt actually interested in doing to wink

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don simon fbpe | 5 years ago
1 like
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Yorkshire wallet | 5 years ago
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I guess that common sense discretion is just applied in most cases and get out you're not allowed is applied to people like Taylor. 

The problem is once one starts doing it then other youtube people start doing it. Look at all the other nonsense those videos link to, loads of idiots hiding in shopping  centres and Ikea etc. to rampage around like a playground when it shuts. 

 

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hawkinspeter replied to Yorkshire wallet | 5 years ago
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Yorkshire wallet wrote:

I guess that common sense discretion is just applied in most cases and get out you're not allowed is applied to people like Taylor. 

The problem is once one starts doing it then other youtube people start doing it. Look at all the other nonsense those videos link to, loads of idiots hiding in shopping  centres and Ikea etc. to rampage around like a playground when it shuts. 

I don't have an issue with people using closed shops/malls as playgrounds as the most they're going to do is damage stock, the building or themselves. (I can appreciate that the owners don't like it, but that's what insurance and CCTV cameras are for). I can't see how this law would have any effect on that as the perps could just walk with their bike and then find a hiding place.

Edit: Just seen the first Ryan Taylor vid and it's not a closed shop/mall. I still don't think this law will be any use as they still have to catch him. I haven't watched the whole thing, but he didn't seem to be wildly dangerous and some of the shoppers wanted selfies with him, so they weren't too distraught.

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Zebulebu | 5 years ago
2 likes

The Trafford Centre already enforces a cycling ban. We had it last year in the evening prior to the Manchester to Blackpool night ride - a succession of muppets came down trying to justify to us why we weren't allowed to have our bikes in the centre, even if we weren't on them, just waiting for the start. They all failed, but in the end they just threatened to call the police (yep - before a charity ride)

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don simon fbpe | 5 years ago
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It prevents people from riding bikes, go-karts or any other vehicle through any Intu shopping centre or car park =/= antisocial riding!

Cock! It looks like I have to ban myself from shopping at the Trafford Centre.

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Deeferdonk replied to don simon fbpe | 5 years ago
2 likes

don simon wrote:

It prevents people from riding bikes, go-karts or any other vehicle through any Intu shopping centre or car park =/= antisocial riding!

Cock! It looks like I have to ban myself from shopping at the Trafford Centre.

So it's banned cars from its car park?!

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brooksby | 5 years ago
3 likes

I've just google imaged the two shopping centres referred to.  These both appear to be shiny, enclosed, indoor shopping malls (like the one in Dawn of the Dead yes​).  If they've really had anti social cycling inside there, I can't help thinking that their first port of call ought to be having a strong word with their security guard company, not getting a court order... 

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gbadman | 5 years ago
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So if it's a ban on riding any vehicle through the shopping centres, are they going to be forcing people out of their mobility scooters too? I don't think they've thought about the wording of the ban very well.

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brooksby | 5 years ago
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Quote:

“People should have every right to cycle up to their cycle parking spots – as presumably this ban on all vehicles won’t mean drivers will have to push their cars into their parking places!”

Quakers Friars in Bristol.  Privately owned land, pretty much everything banned except for walking through (if you look like you might buy something) or shopping.  Cycling through is definitely banned.  Its cycle stands are right in the middle, but you're not allowed to ride up to them - you have to walk half way across before you can lock up.

(The whole Broadmead/Cabot Circus/Quakers Friars shopping area has thousands of car parking spaces, but appears to be gradually and very quietly removing cycle parking as it is "untidy".  Half of 'old' Broadmead is being sold to the company who own Cabot Circus (under cover) and Quakers Friars (open air), and they will no doubt fully intend to expand their ban on cycling. 'Cos no cyclist ever bought anything, ever...).

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Yorkshire wallet | 5 years ago
4 likes

Before all the  'victims, we are victims' starts I can tell you exactly what this is all about.

It's about being a bellend for views because you think you're going to be a Youtube BMX/Prankster as a career.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maFnK3HdXd8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbhJxxGmg04

Yep, some of these guys have skills I'd kill for but we all know he's just being a cock for views.

 

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exilegareth replied to Yorkshire wallet | 5 years ago
2 likes

Yorkshire wallet wrote:

Before all the  'victims, we are victims' starts I can tell you exactly what this is all about.

It's about being a bellend for views because you think you're going to be a Youtube BMX/Prankster as a career.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maFnK3HdXd8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbhJxxGmg04

Yep, some of these guys have skills I'd kill for but we all know he's just being a cock for views.

 

OK, I get that Ryan Taylor is a complete and utter attention whore, but I don't understand the chosen route for dealing with him.

INTU claim to have an injunction banning anyone from using any vehicle in their malls. As others have pointed out, how long do you think that would survive a challenge under the Equalities Act? Given that INTU provide vehicles to their customers to use within their malls, it's an astonishing piece of hypocrisy.

Let's just suppose one of the Metrocentre's highly trained and wonderful staff caught me riding my bike through there; how are they going to enforce the injunction? Any guesses? Would they have the power to detain me, or to demand my name and address? Would they even be able to prove I knew about the injunction? According to the note of the hearing produced by INTU's counsel (which they've published, but not the final order) notices explaining the terms of the injunction have to be placed at every entrance to the shopping centres; would they be able to prove which entrance I came in through and that there was an easily visible notice there?

INTU have over-reached themselves - in trying to deal with an arse of a man and his idiot followers they've come up with a complete bollocks of an injunction that may never achieve anything more than giving this idiot more publicity.

 

 

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rkemb | 5 years ago
2 likes

So... they failed to catch and stop the previous illegal cycling, and now they want to ban all cycling as a result? Given their previous failure to enforce it, how are they going to enforce this?

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