Undercover police are to be deployed in Cambridge to catch red light-jumping cyclists and those riding on pavements in an initiative codenamed Operation Pedalo, which will also focus on cycle theft.
The operation, which begins today, aims “to reduce road deaths and casualties amongst cyclists, reduce cycle crime and anti-social cycling in the city,” says Cambridgeshire Constabulary.
The officers, along with others in uniform, some on bicycles, will patrol hot spot areas including Market Street, Sidney Street, Downing Street, Regent Street, Drummer Street, St Andrew's Street, Arbury Road, Mill Road, Hills Road and Elizabeth Way Bridge.
Also targeted will be cyclists riding without lights, who will be given seven days to avoid a fine by producing a receipt showing they have bought a set under the force’s Lights Instead of Tickets scheme.
"This operation is about educating cyclists as well as enforcing the law,” said Chief Inspector Nick Church.
"There is a lot of dangerous cycling within Cambridge and our aim is to tackle this problem and reduce the number of collisions.
"Cyclists stopped without lights will be given the option of participating in the LIT scheme, inconsiderate and dangerous cycling will not be tolerated.
"We want to make the streets of Cambridge a safe place for all road users and pedestrians," he added.
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.