Gardaí have been out and about in Dublin performing special operations to catch cyclists breaking the road traffic laws (Photo: Garda Twitter)
Gardaí have been out and about in Dublin conducting new special operations in the heart of the city aimed at catching cyclists breaking red lights and committing other infringements.
The Garda Twitter account has this evening confirmed one of the cycling blitzes - referred to as a 'cycle safety operation' - lasted for three hours earlier today.
It was carried out by the Dublin Metropolitan Region Traffic Corps and "multiple red light offenders" were stopped.
All of those were issued with fines under the new fixed charge penalty notice system, which carries a penalty of €40.
The cyclist's name and contact details are taken by the gardai at the scene and a fixed charged notice is sent in the postal system to their address.
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Cyclists are given an initial period, of 26 days, to pay the fine after which time in increases by 50 per cent. A further 56 day period is allowed for the payment of the larger sum.
And if the fine is still not paid, the cyclist is summoned to court where the fines can increase to €2,000.
The establishment of the new operations - where gardaí lay in wait for cyclists - are likely to increase the number of cyclists being sanctioned.
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DMR Traffic 3 hour Cycle Safety op in City-Centre this p.m. Multiple red light offenders stopped all FCPN (€40 fine) pic.twitter.com/N3Oej00zFo
— An Garda Síochána (@GardaTraffic) May 18, 2016
In the first six months of the new fixed charge notice system for cyclists, about 100 per cyclists month were fined.
The establishment of the new specialist operations targeting cyclists represents much greater enforcement than that suggested by the 100 fines per month figure in the first six months of the new system.
Since the beginning of last August, cyclists face a €40 fine for the following offences:
- Driving a pedal cycle without reasonable consideration – €40
- No front lamp or rear lamp lit during lighting-up hours on a pedal cycle – €40
- Proceeding into a pedestrianised street or area – €40
- Proceeding past traffic lights when the red lamp is illuminated – €40
- Proceeding past cycle traffic lights when red lamp is lit – €40
- Failing to stop for a School Warden sign – €40
- Proceeding beyond a stop line, barrier or half barrier at a railway level crossing, swing bridge or lifting bridge, when the red lamps are flashing – €40.
For more information on the how the scheme works, you can follow this link.
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