Greater Manchester Police has said that it issued 147 fixed penalty notices – the vast majority to cyclists – in an operation designed to encourage bike riders and motorists to share the road safely.
The initiative falls under the force’s Operation Grimaldi campaign and took place from Monday 18 to Wednesday 20 November, with activity centred on Deansgate, Trafford Street/Great Bridewater Street, Wilmslow Road/Platt Lane and Oxford Road.
It coincided with Road Safety Week, which saw police in other cities including London, Bristol and Edinburgh run similar operations, mostly taking an educational approach by providing advice rather than handing out fines.
In Manchester 125 cyclists were issued fixed penalty notices for offences including riding on the pavement or without lights and ignoring red traffic lights, although they can avoid having to pay a fine by attending a cycling awareness event.
Police also issued 22 fixed penalty notices to drivers for offences including driving while using a handheld mobile phone, failure to comply with traffic signs and not using a seatbelt.
One motorist had a car seized for antisocial driving under section 59 of the Police Reform Act 2002.
Inspector Paul Rowe of Greater Manchester Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit commented: “Operation Grimaldi isn’t about trying to catch people out, it’s about highlighting the dangers and encouraging cyclists and motorists to share the road and put road safety first.
“While it might seem to some that we’re pulling people over for minor offences, we know only too well the devastating consequences that something as simple as cycling without lights or driving while using a mobile phone can have.
“No officer wants to be knocking on a door this Christmas to tell somebody their loved one has been killed and through Operation Grimaldi we remain absolutely committed to making the roads safer for cyclists, motorists and pedestrians alike.”
Jim Battle, Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner for Greater Manchester, added: “Like most people, I and the police want the roads to be safe for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.
“That’s what this operation is about – educating the handful of cyclists who flout the basic rules of the road and also targeting irresponsible drivers for offences, such as using a mobile phone.
“We have a way to go before cyclists and drivers can share the roads in harmony. The reality is we all have a responsibility to make our roads safer, whether on two wheels or four, and we all have to work together to achieve that.”
In June, Greater Manchester Police confirmed that a total of 415 cyclists had been fined since February this year on ten separate “days of action” held as part of Operation Grimaldi.
62 thoughts on “Police fine 125 Manchester cyclists in ‘share the road’ operation”
And still GMP haven’t pulled
And still GMP haven’t pulled anyone for driving in to an ASL.
And never will.
Quote:“That’s what this
See the language used: Cyclists are flouting the basic rules of the road.
Driving several tonnes of high powered metal at speed whilst being distracted by illegally using your mobile phone – Irresponsible.
let me get this straight, 125
let me get this straight, 125 cyclists, v 22 drivers.
What proportion of the traffic is car and what bike?
Is it me or does this seem like easy pickings and headline grabbing?
Last night i went through 3 sets of traffic lights and saw 1 cyclist jump red and 6 cars! This is typical. Yes i saw more cars so i would expect more cars to be doing illegal things.
Have GMP published details of
Have GMP published details of overall number stopped and how many were cars, vans, HGVs and bikes?
It was probably the bottom
It was probably the bottom end of oxford road where most of the traffic is busses and bikes. Maybe they should move further up the road to rusholme where apparently there are no parking rules, red lights dont exist and you dont need insurance.
mrchrispy wrote:It was
Right – but they would only do that if their actual goal was to catch dodgy drivers – and we all know GMP have a tad of an agenda
GMP really need to target
GMP really need to target MOTORISTS in North Manchester – the whole area seems to be forgotten about when it comes to cycling infrastructure and safety. It’s a nightmare.
Absolutely agree with this, I
Absolutely agree with this, I know the city centre and Oxford Rd corridor is the cycling hotbed but the rest of us exist too. I have no confidence in GMP’s view or treatment of different grades of road user.
Personally I think its about
Personally I think its about time. I used to work on Deansgate until about 4 weeks ago and the number of cyclists that run the red lights on the Deansgate/Quay St junction is unbelievable! especially given the number of people that cross when those lights are on red.
Im a keen cyclist, in fact I cycle more than i drive but running the red light is unacceptable.
I suspect though that the proportion of drivers fine is small because there is another junction nearby thats been closed for 18 months, meaning the volume of traffic that area has increase by an order of magnitude. the result of this is it moves at a snails pace now.
Ironic
Ironic
Good!
BUT
I’m a little unsure
Good!
BUT
I’m a little unsure however that they saw so few motoring offences.
Last night riding home I could not keep count of the number of cars driving through red lights (there were too many). I did count the one cyclist who did so.
I saw three young girls cycling on a pavement but cannot keep count the number of cars parked on the pavements in the same area (there are too many).
I did count the five cars and vans (an average on one every 3 miles) who’s occupants were smoking canabis.
I did notice (as I do every night) the row of cars that queue in the right turn filter lane and then go straight on at a junction in order to save a bit of time in the longer queue in the correct lane.
I did notice the number of vehicles entering the advance stop boxes whilst the lights were red (last night this was every advanced stop box I approached)
This is not an unusual commute, and it is in GM. That’s why I wonder why the police don’t see any of this (in fairness they may well see the ASL infringements but they’ve told me they can’t do anything about them).
GMP have not impressed me overall but I’m still actually pleased to see cyclists pulled for the offences that cause me grief as I cycle myself.
The basics : respect all road
The basics : respect all road users, Concentrate, use care & consideration – dont go through red lights – leave pavements for pedestrians – be seen so use lights at night – Simple non selfish actions that do require a working brain – The Police should confiscate mobile phones if used whilst driving!
Wasn’t Grimaldi a clown?
Wasn’t Grimaldi a clown?
The Police should confiscate
The Police should confiscate mobile phones if used whilst driving!
Excellent. More of this!
Excellent. More of this!
In the City of London last
In the City of London last night: the equivalent operation took place, and I witnessed a PC deliberately standing with his back to the ASL so as not to see the black cab that entirely occupied it. Meanwhile a cyclist had stopped by the side of the road to check his phone, and another PC was getting ready to pounce and looked disappointed when the cyclist put the phone back in his pocket and rode off. I was on foot, so had a good view of it all. It’s a farce. But do be careful: the police have the power to stop any vehicle, including bikes, for any reason or none. Section 163 Road Traffic Act. Idiotic as the policy may be, it is a criminal offence if you fail to stop.
If a car has parked part on /
If a car has parked part on / part off the pavement then surely they have driven on the pavement, illegal or what?
antonio wrote:If a car has
Prove it. The car could have been lowered off a low loader by crane.
I know it is unlikely, but you have to prove the car was driven onto the pavement, not just say it is on the pavement therefore it PROBABLY drove on the pavement.
mrmo wrote:antonio wrote:If a
Common fallacy. Evidence to proof standard s required on for criminal trials. For this a “balance of probabilities” is all that is required. The car might have been lifted there by crane, helicopter or a couple of power-lifting grannies, but the balance of probabilities says it was driven there.
125 cyclists / 25 motorists !
125 cyclists / 25 motorists ! There are a lot of lawless cyclists out there l see loads in Barrow in Furness jumping red lights, on pavements and with no lights etc . It doesn’t surprise me one bit !
I try a stick to the rules of the road as much as possible it’s a shame a lot don’t (|:
Well, if you’re breaking the
Well, if you’re breaking the law there’s not much argument to be had.
Would be nice if the law was clear, appropriate, and applied equally as well though.
banzicyclist2 wrote:125
They ought to stand near a busy traffic light junction…..they’d capture 125 cars an hour jumping the lights.
Seriously why are cyclist jumping lights in front of coppers, they really must be stupid.
I am very concerned about all
I am very concerned about all the media interest around cycling generally. Mark my words….. this is heading inevitably towards ill thought out legislation which will be a complete pain for us all. Please be safe, don’t jump red lights, wear suitable clothing, fit some lights & let’s try & dampen this down !
Timsen wrote:I am very
I fear you might be right. What really annoys me is the vast majority of us do not live/ride to work in London, but this endless negative press will tar us all.
I don’t know anyone that rides through red lights or on a pavement, and on my weekend ride I’d be lucky to see a dozen cars in 3 hours. Evidence seems to suggest that hi-viz makes little difference to driver behaviour, but you can see where this is all heading…….ludicrous and ineffectual legislation that will only shift the focus to the cyclist and potentially put people off cycling.
We should be pleased that
We should be pleased that there will be less idiots skipping reds making the rest of us look bad. =D>
S1lver wrote:We should be
And the next stick to beat cyclists with will be?
You can see where it is going with the hi viz and helmet “advice”, or maybe the “car tax”. or compulsary “cycle paths”
Giving a fine to a cyclist
Giving a fine to a cyclist who has just broken the law can hardly be seen as finding a stick to beat cyclists with.
I think part of the reason cyclists are seen in a bad light is because some cyclists are massive hypocrites. They expect car drivers to treat them as though they are higher beings and then do nothing themselves to try and offer the same respect to drivers ie running red lights!
And before you ask I do not even own my own car. I cycle to work on one bike and ride for fitness on another.
I’m sorry if this sounds harsh but there’s more we cyclists can do to help ourselves before just blaming all drivers…
S1lver wrote:Giving a fine to
Exactly right mate, there are far to many, who include people on here, that think that they are above reproach and the motorist is ALWAYS the baddie. No one is above the law and if you get caught regardless of whether you are on bike or in a motor vehicle you should suffer the consequences.
S1lver wrote:Giving a fine to
But is this an even handed application of the law, by all means punish cyclists breaking the law.
(I should add the Home Office guidance on riding on the pavement is it is ok if you are not an idiot, so are those caught riding on the pavement been correctly processed by GMP?)
Not hypocracy to expect motorists who are only allowed to use the road under licence to be held to a higher level of accountability than cyclists and pedestrians. Likewise i would expect professional drivers, HGV/PSV/Cab, to be held to an even higher standard.
mrmo wrote:
Not hypocracy to
I think some of the problem lies with the assumption that motorists have MORE of an obligation than we cyclists do about sticking to the rules of the road. It surely can not be the case. We can’t go on thinking that people who cycle like idiots (and most people on here who AREN’T idiots will know who I mean) are within their right to ignore street signs and laws but then complain that DRIVERS are acting in the same reckless manner and need to be prosecuted.
Cyclists may be easier targets for the police than drivers and the results of the police stops may be skewed unfairly. But pointing at the BMW driver who stopped a foot too far over the stop line will not excuse you from breaking different rules yourself.
S1lver wrote:I think some of
Wow.
That is truly a ridiculous statement.
S1lver wrote:
I think some of
What??? Of course motorists have MORE of an obligation than cyclists about sticking to the rules of the road. They are driving 1+ tonnes of metal, often at much higher speeds. Motorists are in charge of a potentially lethal weapon whilst cyclists riding stupidly are mostly likely to damage themselves.
The law DEMANDS higher standards (and imposes appropriately higher penalties for failures) on HGV drivers … coach drivers … train drivers … airline pilots, etc because the CONSEQUENCES of their failures are potentially so much worse for the public.
Joeinpoole wrote:S1lver
How do you suggest that this is enforced then? Fine car drivers EVERY time they run a red light or drive on the pavement but only fine cyclists one in every three times they do it? The law DEMANDS that everyone abide by it.
Your view that cyclists can pretty much do whatever they wish as long as there are heavier vehicles on the road is ridiculous, dangerous and very immature.
Joeinpoole wrote:What??? Of
Absolute nonsense! I am amazed that any grown adult could think such a thing. The law isn’t an a la carte menu where you can feel free to pick and choose which rules you choose to obey. Shame on you!
And what of the poor emergency services personnel who have the lovely job of scraping you off the road, into an ambulance paid for by tax payers, to carry you to a hospital paid for by tax payers, to be tended to by doctors and nurses paid for by taxpayers …. etc etc because you in your arrogant, infinite wisdom believe that you are somehow above the law that applies to ALL ROAD USERS EQUALLY!!
Grow up.
S1lver wrote:Giving a fine to
+1 – I get fed up with stupid vigilante posts on her that deny that cyclists have a part to play in road safety, that it is always the car/HGV, and that the police need to sort out the motorists. It’s that sort of attitude which causes the friction and upsets other road users (and I include cyclists in that term). Enough of this sh!t.
Colin Peyresourde
+1 – I get fed up with stupid vigilante posts on her that deny that cyclists have a part to play in road safety, that it is always the car/HGV, and that the police need to sort out the motorists. It’s that sort of attitude which causes the friction and upsets other road users (and I include cyclists in that term). Enough of this sh!t.— S1lver
I play my part in road safety already, thanks. By obeying the law when I cycle. However, I still am threatened by bad driving, and I’d like to see the authorities actually making a serious effort to do something about it.
I am not threatened by bad cycling, for the most part, so I give that a much lower priority, sorry.
But if the cops actually started doing something about appalling parking, speeding, entering ASLs, jumping red lights as I’m about to cross and all the other bad motorist behaviour, I’d be very happy to see them doing something about cyclists without lights or pavement racers as well.
Though the latter are, in a way, something I can deal with myself – one day I’m going to thump one of them as they whizz ludicrously close and fast past me. The trouble is I can’t, as a ped or cyclist, do much about awful driving, I need the cops to do something about that.
RLJing by cyclists is not one single issue, incidentally, its several issues.
Over the years I have seen precisely ONE incident of a cyclist zooming over a zebra crossing while pedestrians were crossing. That sort of thing does indeed infuriate me, its just plain morally wrong and should merit a legal intervention.
I’ve also seen a couple of cases of a cyclist (right in front of me) nearly getting hit due to RLJing at a junction – in one of those the motorist involved was ALSO jumping the red, in the other the guy nearly got clobbered by a lorry that was doing nothing wrong. Those are also morally wrong things to do, though for different reasons.
But the vast majority of cyclist RLJing I’ve seen has involved no real threat or nuisance to anyone and is a problem only insofar as I know it annoys watching motorists (that’s why I don’t do it, that and an OCD attitude about obeying all rules or none).
There’s just no comparison between that and the far more common and more dangerous rule-breaking by motorists. And I, again, just reject the idea that cyclists are some collective group that are somehow obliged to police each other.
Good news. I wish they would
Good news. I wish they would do this all the time and not just during “blitzes”…
jmaccelari wrote:Good news. I
Agreed. However, anything that makes ALL road users think about how they drive/ride is a good thing.
Number crunching;
Number of
Number crunching;
Number of people killed by motorists in 2012 = 1800
Number of people killed by cyclists in 2012 = maybe 1?
Number of motorists fined during Operation Grimaldi = 22
Number of cyclists fined during Operation Grimaldi = 125
Joeinpoole wrote:Number
despite reading it several times now
motorists: 22, cyclists: 125… wtf?
Joeinpoole wrote:Number
And this doesn’t even include the huge* number of serious injuries motor vehicles inflict on people.
Total casualities (all severities) in 2012 = 195,723
Serious injuries in 2012 = 23,039
Fatalities fell for all road users except, you guessed it, cyclists (107 in 2011 to 118 in 2012).
*src: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/245383/rrcgb2012-00.pdf
Joeinpoole wrote:Number
number killed by cyclist 1 = maybe?? = definately, you obviously dont follow the news when a cyclist caused a bus to perform an emergency stop, seriously injuring an old age pensioner who later died, i believe the cyclist is awaiting trial!!
darenbrett wrote:Joeinpoole
number killed by cyclist 1 = maybe?? = definately, you obviously dont follow the news when a cyclist caused a bus to perform an emergency stop, seriously injuring an old age pensioner who later died, i believe the cyclist is awaiting trial!!— Joeinpoole
Not really sure what point you are making. Nobody follows the news of every last criminal case – do you know the details of every one of the 1800? The fact that you know the specifics of this one cycle case rather says something, no?
FluffyKittenofTindalos
number killed by cyclist 1 = maybe?? = definately, you obviously dont follow the news when a cyclist caused a bus to perform an emergency stop, seriously injuring an old age pensioner who later died, i believe the cyclist is awaiting trial!!— darenbrett
Not really sure what point you are making. Nobody follows the news of every last criminal case – do you know the details of every one of the 1800? The fact that you know the specifics of this one cycle case rather says something, no?— Joeinpoole
quite simple if you dont actually know the statistics, dont post!!
darenbrett
number killed by cyclist 1 = maybe?? = definately, you obviously dont follow the news when a cyclist caused a bus to perform an emergency stop, seriously injuring an old age pensioner who later died, i believe the cyclist is awaiting trial!!— FluffyKittenofTindalos
Not really sure what point you are making. Nobody follows the news of every last criminal case – do you know the details of every one of the 1800? The fact that you know the specifics of this one cycle case rather says something, no?— darenbrett
quite simple if you dont actually know the statistics, dont post!!— Joeinpoole
Nope, still don’t know what your point is. Are you saying the number killed by cyclists is anywhere near 1800? You’ve merely given details of one case. So what?
FluffyKittenofTindalos
FluffyKittenofTindalos wrote:
darenbrett wrote:
Joeinpoole wrote:
Number crunching;
Number of people killed by motorists in 2012 = 1800
Number of people killed by cyclists in 2012 = maybe 1?
Number of motorists fined during Operation Grimaldi = 22
Number of cyclists fined during Operation Grimaldi = 125
number killed by cyclist 1 = maybe?? = definately, you obviously dont follow the news when a cyclist caused a bus to perform an emergency stop, seriously injuring an old age pensioner who later died, i believe the cyclist is awaiting trial!!
Not really sure what point you are making. Nobody follows the news of every last criminal case – do you know the details of every one of the 1800? The fact that you know the specifics of this one cycle case rather says something, no?
quite simple if you dont actually know the statistics, dont post!!
I was riding home and stopped
I was riding home and stopped at lights on Deansgate when plod pulled one lad over for having no lights – which in winter is daft, there were 4 cyclists – we weren’t in the green box some someone had drove their BMW 4-wheel drive Panzer into it. Plod didn’t pull him over.
Basically this is a tax on
Basically this is a tax on the stupid.
If the cyclists are too stupid to spot the Police and modify their behaviour, then they deserve to be fined.
alexb wrote:Basically this is
No, it’s a tax on stupid and/or vulnerable cyclists.
Motorists are still running red lights, still using their phones, still speeding, still driving aggressively, still being ignored in the main.
If this was truly based on road safety they would be in different locations or at different junctions.
alexb wrote:Basically this is
read the home office guidance, how many of the FPNs were for pavement cycling, how many were riders being careful?
I think it is a good thing if
I think it is a good thing if educating car drivers and cyclist, if it makes a handful of people re think and change there habits, then it has to be good, I ride Stockport to Trafford and I still can not believe it when I see cyclist with no lights when it is dark morning and night…..
Regardless of whether the
Regardless of whether the miscreant is a cyclist or a driver, fines don’t really work because they have a varying effect, proportional to the affluence of the offender.
Perhaps a day at a detention centre might be a more compelling deterent, at a time convenient to the rule breaker, but which must be completed within a certain time period.
Rich or poor, time has an equal value to all, and a spell in “detention” gives an opportunity to help those that need a little “guidance”.
https://www.gov.uk/rules-for-
https://www.gov.uk/rules-for-cyclists-59-to-82
However I had to explain to a police buddy the other day that it was legal for cyclists to ride 2abreast! He txt me and said he checked it out and conceded defeat…. If they don’t know then we are Fubar’D.
Cyclist
I had sort of assumed that all police, or at least traffic police, would have completed Bikeability in which case they would know this. Maybe not then.
I should add that I’m not assuming that your friend is a traffic cop. If he is he should be ashamed, if not I can understand him not knowing every detail of the law.
I have a sneaking suspicion
I have a sneaking suspicion that 5 times as many cyclists were fined because it’s easier to stop cyclists rather than cylists breaking the law 5 times more often than motorists.
Dang, that’s right on my ride
Dang, that’s right on my ride into work, I didn’t see hide nor hair of them. Maybe they should wear something to stand out, you know, hi-viz or something?
To make up for missing out on a friendly chat with GMP, I shall be voluntarily attending a [cough] cycling awareness event on Friday.
Beginning to think that there
Beginning to think that there is an undercurrent here from on high that is basically saying we can’t be seen to be persecuting motorists!
If they only fined 25 motorists, then either the Police weren’t trying hard enough or Manchester has some of the most law abiding motorists in the Country.
There is never going to be safe roads for all to use, with the current lets bash cyclists mentality.
I am all for cyclist being penalised, lets get them off the pavements and on the roads, then the blind people setting policy will have to take notice when more cyclists are using the PUBLIC roads.
Good. Hopefully it’ll stop
Good. Hopefully it’ll stop some of them giving the rest of us a bad name.
That said, the numbers reported are ridiculous. If I drive, I have a 15 minute commute to work. I reckon on an average day, I see more than 22 car drivers worthy of a talking to. Yet they manage just 22 in 3 days in a busy city centre?
Clearly a case of going after the low-hanging fruit, and getting themselves a bit of good publicity (in the eyes of most people) into the bargain.
Was following a police car on
Was following a police car on Greater Manchester at the weekend and watched him pull up in an advanced stop box. He then failed to stop at the white line at the very next set of lights…
I don’t think the police mind
I don’t think the police mind if they are reducing cycling by stamping on behaviour that isn’t actually dangerous). Lowering total accident figures matters to them. Reducing danger per mile cycled does not.
They could not care less if danger per mile doubles, if total deaths fall. “Take the bus, you ninja cyclists! I don’t care if it’s not actually dangerous! Stop cycling, get fat, have your heart attack but no accidents on my beat, job done!”
Nice “Blitz on Cyclists” headlines, too, exciting to show at the canteen!
150 cars/hour abuse Cambridge
150 cars/hour abuse Cambridge bus lanes. Manchester is much bigger and has a higher proportion of car travel. How the heel did they only fine 22 motorists?
Just to confirm, recent
Just to confirm, recent events are simply an attack on cyclists, the low hanging fruit as very well put by DP24:
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/cyclesafety/article3933789.ece
Paragraph 6:
“All, can you please cascade this onto your troops,” the e-mail from Inspector Colin Davies of the Metropolitan Police’s South East Area Traffic Garage, began. “Officers have four months to do 40 cycle tickets. Ten per month, 2.5 a week. Most officers are nearing or have even achieved their other targets. This will give them a renewed focus for a while.”