In the past few weeks, the Cyclists' Defence Fund has been approached by several cyclists fined by the Metropolitan Police for using the pavement even though they did so for safety reasons and in a considerate way without endangering other road users.
Among them is Kristian Gregory, who posted helmet-cam footage of himself (which you can watch if you look at the gallery on this page) receiving a £50 fine after he strayed out of a poorly designed pavement cycle track just before turning to cross the adjoining New Kent Road at a signed cycle crossing point.
Kristian believes prosecuting him and others at this location is not in the public interest. He feels it has nothing to do with the Met Police’s original aim of Operation Safeway, namely to improve cyclists’ safety in the aftermath of a spate of 6 cyclists’ deaths last November. It also contradicts the views of ministers that police and PCSOs should use their discretion when issuing fines to cyclists who are using pavements considerately and for their own safety.
Following Kristian’s complaints (which were supported by the local Council), the police have agreed to scale back enforcement at this location. Now though, Kristian wants not only to get his own fine rescinded, but also those handed to other cyclists in similar circumstances.
CDF fully supports the proper administration of the law, however, issuing fixed penalty notices (FPNs) for such minor alleged offences seems disproportionate and discriminatory, while failing to deal with the root causes of the dangers cyclists face: dangerous drivers and dangerous vehicles.
Please donate to the Cyclists’ Defence Fund, so we can support Kristian’s appeal and other cases like it. For more information see https://www.ctc.org.uk/news/put-end-zealous-fining-london
