The fines are possible due to the UK Government granting powers that allow TfL and London boroughs to fine motorists who infringe on cycle lanes and cycle tracks in the same way that they currently do for bus lanes and yellow box junctions.
TfL can now issue fixed penalty notices (FPNs) of up to £160 to drivers who break the law by entering cycle lanes marked by solid white lines and cycle tracks. The fine drops to £80 if paid within 14 days.
Initially, TfL shall use existing CCTV cameras to enforce contraventions in cycle lanes and cycle tracks at key locations across its road network.
TfL justifies the need for the fines by saying that road danger remains a barrier to people walking and cycling more. Instead of providing safer bike lanes, the authority hopes that the new enforcement powers will help protect designated space for cyclists.
The conflict between cyclists and motorists has significantly escalated since the pandemic, and HGV drivers are often blamed for being the reason why many people are afraid of commuting by bike. A good example of this is the recent Jeremy Vine case, in which the well-known radio host accused a lorry driver of “close-passing” a police officer on a bike in London.
The high-publicised and heavily-discussed incident can be seen on video. During the clip, the cycle cop can be heard suggesting the truck driver be punished for driving without due care and attention. Lorry drivers, however, quickly came to the defence of the driver involved in the incident, saying that none of the lorry’s wheels touch the line between the lanes at any point. The driver’s employer, Waitrose, also said that no wrong had been done.
Councils may also apply for the same powers
Cars and HGVs are banned from using the cycle lanes that are separated by a solid white lane from the other parts of the road.
However, so far in England, only police officers have had the power to fine moving traffic offences. Since the end of May, however, local authorities in England have been able apply to the Secretary of State for new powers to enforce ‘moving traffic offences’. This means they can be granted powers that have previously been held only by the police, and will be able to issue fines to drivers for these offences for the first time.
Moving traffic offences include:
- incorrectly driving into a bus lane
- stopping in a yellow box junction
- banned right or left turns
- illegal U-turns
- going the wrong way in a one-way street
- ignoring a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO).
The levels of fines that can be imposed are specified in a schedule to the General Provisions SI. They range from £20 for lower-level penalties paid promptly, to £105 for late payment of higher-level penalties (such as bus lane contraventions, or parking a vehicle on a cycle path).
The Government has restricted how councils can spend the money collected by these fines. The surplus must be used only for certain purposes:
- pay for public transport provision;
- pay for highway improvement projects; or
- pay for environmental improvements in the authority’s area.
Photo: European Cyclists’ Federation / Flickr / CC BY 2.0