Cycling in pedestrianised zones

[MontyVeda]

I'll start by saying i don't cycle in pedestrianised zones on a Saturday afternoon or any time when it's busy... but when it's quiet I'm not going to get off and push, or cycled the road route around it (it being Lancaster town centre).

But what is the legal position? Odd sections do allow cyclists, but all sections do allow traffic outside on 8am to 6pm, and even within these times, the odd car will crawl through the pedestrian zone.

So... if a car can drive on it, can a bike?

 

[Angelfishsolo]

I'll start by saying i don't cycle in pedestrianised zones on a Saturday afternoon or any time when it's busy... but when it's quiet I'm not going to get off and push, or cycled the road route around it (it being Lancaster town centre).

But what is the legal position? Odd sections do allow cyclists, but all sections do allow traffic outside on 8am to 6pm, and even within these times, the odd car will crawl through the pedestrian zone.

So... if a car can drive on it, can a bike?

Isn't the point that the car is doing it rather that is allowed to do it. It's like parking on Double Yellow lines I guess. You are fine until you get caught and fined.

 

[david1701]

I had just kinda assumed they were ok to cycle through, eg Exeter high street has busses that go up and down so I would think cycling is ok?

 

[Alembicbassman]

If it's prohibited then you're not supposed to do it. However it depends on the police and local authority. If they have a 'Zero Tolerance' policy expect a £30 fine. If they're sensible about it you may get a warning or they may just ignore you.

I avoid pedestrian zones, there's too many 'Little Hitlers' out there waiting for an excuse to exercise their powers.

Most town centres have CCTV so they can track your ride.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

I had just kinda assumed they were ok to cycle through, eg Exeter high street has busses that go up and down so I would think cycling is ok?

Bear in mind buses have access to places that other vehicles do not.

 

[Thompson]

Well I'm rarely on the appropiate cycle path as alot of the time pedestrians are walking on it, I spend mst the time on roads and if not safe on the pedestrian path. I havent been caught or anything even when cops have drove by, so it's really your preference on whether you want to bend the rules slightly or not. I find it daft to get off and push as some cycle lanes aren't even a bike length.

 

[MontyVeda]

Isn't the point that the car is doing it rather that is allowed to do it. It's like parking on Double Yellow lines I guess. You are fine until you get caught and fined.

It's the 'except for access' clause... so the cars are are those with disabled stickers heading for a parking space, security vans heading for the bank and the other delivery vans.

It's something I do 'off peak' because i ready don't like weaving around peds. Also in the evenings , the police often crawl around the town centre, yet completely ignore the one way system within the pedestrian zone.

 

[chillyuk]

We have a small local shopping area that is pedestrianised and has no cycling signs. However it has recently been proven that there is something wrong with the ban and it is unenforceable. I have never seen a police officer or a PCSO dismount and push their bikes through and I have photographed a couple just in case I meet a bored copper who wants to try it on.

 

[lulubel]

I had just kinda assumed they were ok to cycle through, eg Exeter high street has busses that go up and down so I would think cycling is ok?

It depends what the signs say. For example, the top of Penzance main street has a no entry sign "except buses, taxis and bicycles" (or at least it did 2 years ago when I last lived there).

When I lived on the outskirts of Reading I used to cycle through the Woodley shopping precinct on my way to work at 5am. If I needed to get some shopping on the way home, I got off the bike and pushed it as soon as I reached the point where there were pedestrians I might irritate. There's no point in winding people up, especially when you're riding a bike with Royal Mail stamped all over it, that you're not supposed to be doing your shopping on anyway

 

[Hilldodger]

Leicester recently allowed cycling in ALL city centre pedestrianised zones to clear up any confusion.

 

[MontyVeda]

Leicester recently allowed cycling in ALL city centre pedestrianised zones to clear up any confusion.

I'm sure it will clear up confusion regarding the legalities of cycling in the pedestrianised zones... but on a Saturday afternoon or other times when peds are everywhere I think cyclists should be encouraged to either push their bikes or choose a different route.

I only cycle in such places when it's relatively quiet yet i do see to odd cyclist weaving through peds when it's busy and it really gets my goat. It's usually older people who say "Oi no cycling!" only to be ignored. The idea of these cyclists having legislation on their side I feel is a bad idea as such behaviour should be discouraged.

 

[Arch]

Leicester recently allowed cycling in ALL city centre pedestrianised zones to clear up any confusion.

I don't fancy trying to weave down Gallowtreegate or round the clock tower on a Saturday afternoon!

I have no problem with getting off and walking when the pedestrian hours are in operation. It still usually gives me an advantage over drivers.

 

[Red Light]

I don't fancy trying to weave down Gallowtreegate or round the clock tower on a Saturday afternoon!

Yet curiously you take up much more space off your bike and pushing it than you do if you are riding it. So logically you add less to the congestion by staying on the bike.

 

[coffeejo]

If the sign says no cycling, then I get off and walk as pedestrians aren't expecting bikes to come up behind them and I've seen more than one person have to jump out of the way.

If there's no sign, I use my judgement depending on how busy it is.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

If the sign says no cycling, then I get off and walk as pedestrians aren't expecting bikes to come up behind them and I've seen more than one person have to jump out of the way.

If there's no sign, I use my judgement depending on how busy it is.

That is logical and sensible.