Nearly 15,800 riders fined for unsafe cycling on London's roads

Police in London raised £789,000 from nearly 15,800 tickets issued to unsafe cyclists last year, in figures reported by the Evening Standard.

The Metropolitan Police dished out 4,896 fines to bike users who jumped red lights, the highest number in four years. The 15,786 tickets issued is more than double the 6,286 issued in 2012.

Superintendent Robert Revill told the Standard: “It is not about punishment or persecution, it’s about creating awareness. We enforce traffic legislation robustly. Officers will be out in force, watching and dealing accordingly with anyone breaking the law.”

The Met Police launced Operation Safeway in November 2013 after six cyclists died in the space of two weeks on London’s roads. Officers patrolling blackspots are handing out fines mainly for cycling on the pavement or jumping red lights.

Ann Kenrick, chairwoman of the London Cycle Campaign’s board of trustees, added: “When I see a cyclist jump a red light I turn to the cyclist next to me in despair. There are so many road users, we have to respect each other.

“We need to tell cyclists to put out the message that they have to follow the rules like everyone else. But we need infrastructure so cyclists don’t take risks, like dedicated cycle lanes.”

Mayor of London Boris Johnson is an advocate of making cycling in the capital safer, with improvements being made to dangerous roads and junctions across the city.

Source: Evening Standard

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