Cyclists escApe fines despite crAckdown vow

A promised crackdown on illegal cycling in Bridge Street is yet to materialise with no tickets handed out since a revamp of the city’s enforcement service. Demands for zero tolerance by Peterborough City Council leader Councillor John Holdich remain unheeded by police, who have decided to take a softer approach with cyclists.

Cllr Holdich has been left frustrated by an administra- tive error, which involved original legislation that did notallowcouncilofficerspowers to police cycling offences, that is preventing his council’s officersfromhandingout fines, leaving the onus on the police to enforce the ban.

But two months after the relaunch of the city’s Prevention and Enforcement Service (PES)– whichseescouncil, police, fire service and prison staffoperatingasasingleteam – nobody has yet been fined.

A council spokesperson said this was because cycling in Bridge Street was not a police priority, adding: “We are currently going through the legal process to be able to in- troduce apublic spaceprotection order which will allow all Prevention and Enforcement Service officers the option to fine cyclists who flout the Bridge Street cycling ban.

“Currently only police officers have the power to prosecute cyclists onBridgeStreet for the offence of contravening a road sign.

“Until the legislation is in place, all PESofficerswillcontinuetostopcyclistsonBridge Street andinsist that they dismount during the restricted hours.”

Cllr Holdich added: “There’s a lot of noise in my post bag and people want our cycling ban on Bridge Street.”

A cyclist going down Bridge Street during interviews for the relaunch of the Prevention and Enforcement Service