PSNI officers took to the streets as part of a new initiative, Operation Close Pass, in collaboration with Cycling Ulster. Police officers have been cycling on roads across Northern Ireland on unmarked bikes to raise awareness of cycle safety and enforce safe driving behaviour.
PSNI officers took to the streets as part of a new initiative, Operation Close Pass, in collaboration with Cycling Ulster, designed to educate drivers on the safe distance they are required to give cyclists.
Drivers should allow for a distance of 1.5m between themselves and a cyclist when overtaking, but the PSNI and Ulster Cycling have stated many are falling short of this.
Spokesperson for the scheme, Superintendent Gary Busch said Thursday’s scheme was the first co-ordinated operation across Northern Ireland.
"During our close-pass operations, which were first trailed in 2017, police officers in plain clothes on unmarked bicycles equipped with cameras will be supported by police motorcyclists to identify drivers who don’t give cyclists enough room when they pass.
"We have been running local operations, to educate both drivers and cyclists to regard the roads as a shared space, but this is the first time we are adopting a co-ordinated operation at locations across Northern Ireland on the same day."
The operation involves officers wearing helmets mounted with cameras that capture footage of drivers as they pass.Mr Busch said the primary focus of the scheme was education but penalty notices may be handed out to drivers found to be exhibiting careless driving."Where a driver has displayed potentially dangerous driving or […]
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