Cyclist fined after riding along M69

Officers stopped the cyclist and took him home in their patrol car

AN errant cyclist has been fined after he was spotted riding a pushbike along the M69.

The man was seen cycling along the southbound carriageway of the motorway, between Leicester and Hinckley, on Sunday evening.

Officers from the road policing unit (RPU) attended the scene and managed to apprehend the individual, who was given a lift home while being reported for cycling along a motorway.

The traffic officers shared the experience on social media as a reminder to cyclists that riding on the motorway is both against the law and dangerous, despite it being quiet due to the social distancing regulations in force due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

The RPU tweeted: “First job of the night shift was to remove someone cycling along the M69!

“He was given a lift and reported for cycling along the motorway.

“Another busy shift – lots of engagement and explaining with groups off out. Unfortunately, you shouldn’t be going out for a ride on your bike.

“Just because the sun is out it isn’t an essential journey.

“We saw more people than ever taking daily exercise and very few cars on the M69.”

A police spokesman confirmed that the cyclist was issued with an on-thespot fixed-penalty fine for the misdemeanour.

He said: “At about 7.15pm on Sunday an officer from the roads policing team came across a man on a pushbike on the southbound carriageway of the M69. The matter had been reported by a concerned member of the public.

“The man was located and removed from the carriageway.

“He was issued with a fixed penalty notice under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 and Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988.”