Cyclists risking their lives

9 November 2010, 06:00

In just one week more than 130 cyclists have been caught riding their bikes in the Thames Valley in the dark without lights.

30 cyclists were stopped outside Reading Station last Tuesday, and 106 were caught in the centre of Oxford on Monday as part of a new safer riding initiative by Thames Valley Police.

Between 6pm and 9pm the riders were issued with £30 fixed penalty notices for travelling without lights.

All were offered the chance to have the fine wiped out if they went a police station with a receipt for a new set of lights within a week.

PC Julian Weal, who led the check in Reading, said:

“It was pleasing to find that many cyclists were using lights in the correct manner, but the fact that we found 30 cyclists using their bike without lights is worrying.

“People don’t realise that by not making themselves visible to other road users they are causing a danger not only to themselves, but also to pedestrians and motorists which is why this initiative is so important.

“We received support from members of the public and those who were issued with fixed penalties took them with good grace and will be able to get their ticket cancelled if they buy lights in the next week and present the receipt at a police station.”

The lights on bikes campaign will now carry on throughout the Thames Valley.