Council Intensifies its War On Cycling.

[Drago]

If the wording of the order prohibits "no cycling" I'd appeal it on the grounds that the council does not have the power to compel everyone to cycle.

I would, of course, ensure the Daily Mail were on hand to feign indignance at the wasteful inefficiency of the councils. As much as I dislike the DM it's the sort of thing they delight in and no carncil officer will enjoy having such a spotlight shining on their stupidity.

 

[mjr]

Weird thing is that it prohibits "any activity that causes or is likely to cause ....."
and prohibits
"riding a skateboard"

and also prohibits "No cycling......"

logically it actually prohibits NOT cycling in the area

Good spot. I hope the orderlies, beadles, street rangers or whatever Grimsby calls "Authorised Officer"s are dishing out £1000 fines to anyone found persistently not cycling along the designated streets!

and playing the rules through speakers does seem to contravene the noise section of the order

at the very least it is very badly worded

Yes, it is badly worded. Usually Traffic Regulation Orders have exclusions of emergency services, postal services, council workers and various others, but this PSPO does not, so the council is subject to the prohibition on "creating noise (as to cause a nuisance)".

It all smacks of an order having been made without proper scrutiny, probably advertised in the online equivalent of the h2g2 filing cabinet and not even read by the officers and cabinet councillors responsible.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

In theory (to my mind) if a uniformed official comes up to you when you are cycling carefully through that area
then you could appeal and win
and issue a counter suit, if that is the right word, against the uniformed official for not cycling through the area
and if he (probably) shouted at you to stop - for making too much noise

it would work - in my mind anyway

 

[mjr]

In theory (to my mind) if a uniformed official comes up to you when you are cycling carefully through that area
then you could appeal and win
and issue a counter suit, if that is the right word, against the uniformed official for not cycling through the area
and if he (probably) shouted at you to stop - for making too much noise

it would work - in my mind anyway

Sadly only police and authorised officers can enforce this poxy PSPO.

Any fine for cycling would probably be invalid and open to refund, though. A freedom of information request for how many people have been warned and fined incorrectly for cycling may be interesting and embarrass the council, if anyone has time.