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Exeter cyclist reports 14 motorists who went down pop-up bike lane

‘There were parents having to cycle on the pavements with their kids to avoid the traffic coming through’

Fourteen motorists who drove down one of Exeter's 'pop-up' cycleways have been sent a notice of intended prosecution. Cyclist Caspar Hughes submitted reports to police after watching the road for just 35 minutes.

Devon Live reports that Wonford Road has been closed to all vehicles except buses and bicycles as part of Exeter’s emergency active travel changes.

Despite obvious signage, many motorists are ignoring this. On Tuesday morning, Hughes went down to see how many.

"I would love to say I was shocked at what I saw," he said. "But I wasn't.

"I first went down there about six weeks ago and saw lots of cars buzzing through despite the one-way sign and I spoke to Operation Snap then, but they said the scheme needed time to bed in – which I understand.

"This time there were parents still having to cycle on the pavements with their kids to avoid the traffic coming through, which is ridiculous.

"I know buses are allowed through, but private vehicles aren't and it is not safe for people to walk or cycle on that road when cars are still coming through. At that time of the morning, kids need to be able to get to school safely."

He reported the drivers to police via Operation Snap and the force has sent notices of intended prosecution to all 14.

Chief Inspector Steve Lenney, Head of Roads Policing, said: “We know that members of the public can get frustrated when they see drivers getting away with offences that can place them and other road users at risk.

“Operation Snap is a great initiative allowing members of the public to share video footage with us of offences they’ve captured on dash and cycle cams for the consideration of prosecution.”

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

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6 comments

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wtjs | 3 years ago
11 likes

Congratulations to Caspar Hughes! He appears at a stroke to have beaten my 10 red-light crashing NIPs, although we don't yet know what the police will actually do. Can he tell us if this Force is one of the dodgy ones which decrees in advance that 'as a witness' he won't be told about outcomes? Of course, unlike the close-passing incidents, he really IS just a witness- directly comparable to my red light incidents.

Avatar
Seventyone replied to wtjs | 3 years ago
3 likes

How can he find out what has happened in these cases? He seems to be the definition of a witness it a victim? If someone gets close passed they are a witness apparently? This seems to make no sense at all, unless certain police forces are desperately trying to hide their lack of action over class passes by hiding behind gdpr regulations that are not relevant. That can't be possible surely

Avatar
eburtthebike | 3 years ago
16 likes

14 in 35 minutes?  Must have been  quiet day.  I'm sure the local media will be full of stories of law-breaking motorists endangering the public, drivers who should not only lose their licence but have their car confiscated as well.

They definitely won't have stories of hard-pressed, law abiding motorists, taxed to the hilt, oppressed by the radical minority of tax dodging cyclists.

Avatar
ktache | 3 years ago
24 likes

Well done Casper.

I'm sure when they introduce licence plates, insurance and testing to obtain a licence for motorists this sort of thing will stop...

Avatar
Hirsute replied to ktache | 3 years ago
9 likes

But the satnav said it was ok.

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to Hirsute | 3 years ago
15 likes
hirsute wrote:

But the satnav said it was ok.

Those poor, innocent law-abiding motorists got stitched up by their GPS thingys. When will this persecution of motorists end?

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