‘Wrongheaded and bizarre targeting of New Yorkers on bikes’ — New York City ends criminal penalties for minor cycling offences

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has announced an end to the crackdown on minor traffic violations by cyclists and e-bike riders.

According to the Mayor’s Office, the New York City Police Department will stop issuing criminal summonses for low-level cycling offences starting March 27, replacing them with the same civil penalties faced by motorists.

The move marks a decisive break from the previous administration’s approach, which saw riders facing criminal charges for minor infractions like rolling through stop signs.

Under Mayor Eric Adams’ administration, cyclists could face criminal court summonses and the risk of arrest for failing to appear. These rather severe penalties were applied to no other road users.

Ben Furnas of Transportation Alternatives said the practice was a "wrongheaded and bizarre targeting of New Yorkers on bikes."

The new policy eliminates that level of criminalisation and evens out the penalties among road users.

"Every New Yorker on our roads, whether driving or biking, deserves to be treated fairly,” Mamdani said, adding that the change "ensur[es] cyclists and e-bike riders…are treated like others on the road," while maintaining accountability through civil enforcement.

The shift has been widely welcomed by street safety and cycling advocates, many of whom have long argued that criminal enforcement unfairly singled out bike riders while failing to improve safety.

"We’re thrilled that Mayor Mamdani is directing the NYPD to reverse the discriminatory practice," said Eric McClure, Executive Director, StreetsPAC. "Criminally charging someone riding a bike for an infraction for which the driver of a 400-horsepower, three-ton SUV only receives a traffic ticket makes no sense and does nothing to improve safety, and we’re grateful that City Hall is righting that wrong."

The announcement comes just months after Mamdani’s election victory, in which he secured more than one million votes on a platform that included transport reform and safer streets.

Cycling featured heavily in his campaign, both symbolically and politically. He now inherits a city where bike use is booming, but where infrastructure expansion and safety improvements have stalled.

This latest policy signals a shift in tone: away from punitive enforcement and toward systemic reform.

Tackling the root causes of unsafe riding

While ending criminal summonses is the headline, the administration pairs the move with a broader package aimed squarely at delivery workers, many of whom rely on bicycles and e-bikes for work.

In partnership with the New York City Department of Transportation, the City will roll out a comprehensive safety training program for delivery workers beginning in April. The training will cover safe riding practices, traffic laws and workers’ rights, and will be available online in six languages.

The administration is also targeting the business models behind app-based delivery. Proposed legislation would require companies to share trip-level data with the city, allowing officials to better understand how delivery patterns impact safety. It would also empower regulators to set safer delivery time standards and require additional training for riders who repeatedly engage in unsafe behaviour.

"Third-party delivery companies have incentivised dangerous cycling behaviour without proper oversight or accountability," said NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn.

The policy has drawn support from labour and cycling groups alike, with praise focused on shifting responsibility from individual riders to companies.

Ligia Guallpa, Executive Director of Workers Justice Project / Los Deliveristas Unidos, called Mamdani’s approach "a crucial step toward addressing the root causes of unsafe delivery work."

“For too long, app delivery companies have built business models that push workers to speed, work long hours and ride in unsafe conditions — making delivery one of the most dangerous jobs in New York City. One in five delivery workers has been injured on the job, and half have experienced accidents while working,” said Guallpa.

Further safety campaigns and infrastructure improvements are expected to follow, as the administration works with its City Council on longer-term legislative changes.