Undercover police tackle cycle safety

METROPOLITAN police have launched a new initiative aimed at improving the safety of cyclists on the capital’s roads. It involves plain clothes police officers riding unmarked bicycles riding around London.

The team will head for areas which are showing up as danger points and observe car drivers. They will look out for any bad behaviour from drivers which puts cyclists at risk but in particular:
•unsafe following (sometimes known as tailgating);
•unsafe overtaking (close passes); and
•unsafe turning (left or right turns across the cyclists’ path).

The cycling police officers will be wearing video cameras. If they see a driver committing an offence, they will alert a nearby police motor-cyclist, who will locate and stop the offending driver. Motor cyclists will have the discretion either to engage the driver in conversation and point out what they have done wrong, or to arrest and charge the driver in the case of serious offences.

Sergeant Andy Osborne of the Metropolitan Police Cycle Safety Team said, “We can’t be everywhere, but we could be anywhere.” The unmarked bicycles the police are riding have been donated by BMW.

Ashok Sinha, Chief Executive of the London Cycling Campaign, said, “Drivers passing too close is terrifying and off-putting to people cycling. The Highway Code requires drivers give safe space to cyclists when overtaking. This welcome operation on close passes will send a message to drivers in London to obey the Highway Code and stay wider of the rider.”

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