§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action his Department is taking to deter adults from cycling on pavements in residential areas; and if he will make a statement. [59595]
§ Mr. DenhamCycling inconsiderately or irresponsibly on the pavement is an offence under section 72 of the Highways Act 1835.
Enforcement of the legislation is an operational matter for individual chief officers of police. They are best placed to assess the nature and cause of specific local problems, to determine how most effectively to address them and to decide the best allocation of resources between different priorities. Short intensive enforcement campaigns are occasionally conducted to deal with persistent cycling offenders.
102WTo help the police deal with cyclists who use the pavement inconsiderately or irresponsibly, we are taking powers in the Police Reform Bill to enable Community Safety Officers (CSOs) to issue fixed penalty notices for this offence.
We recognise that many cyclists, particularly children and young people, cycle on pavements because they are afraid to cycle on the road. The cycling infrastructure and environment are currently being improved as part of our National Cycling Strategy, and the improvements will help reduce the incentive to cycle on the pavement.