Cyclists are set to be hit with fines for mounting pavements and breaking red lights. The on-the-spot fines will be introduced by the end of the year and will also see cyclists fined for dangerous over-taking.
Each fine will be a minimum of €50 and the offender must pay within 56 days or be called to court.
The Department of Transport says the measure is being brought in to promote safe cycling practices, discourage dangerous cycling, and as part of a broader strategy to encourage more people to cycle on a more regular basis.
Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar said "This is not about targeting cyclists. It's about ensuring that our roads are safe for all of us. Roads are a shared public space and belong to everyone: drivers, cyclists, pedestrian and heavy vehicles. We all have to use them responsibly and obey the rules that protect us all".
Gardaí have informed the Department of an increased success rate in prosecuting cyclists in court.
Following discussions with Gardaí, the Department decided to extend the fixed-charge system to cycling offences.
The Department will now hold further discussions to determine which penalties will have fixed charge notices applied to them. The final list of offences has not yet been determined, but these are likely to include:
- Going through a red light
- Cycling on a footpath
- Failure to yield right of way at a 'Yield' sign.
The target for the introduction of fixed charge notices is the second quarter of next year. But the Department of Transport says they will be introduced at an earlier stage if possible.
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