UPDATE: Please note this story has been updated to include the context that the video shared on social media took place on 2 April 2025, a month after the cyclist was issued a ticket by the same officer for careless and inconsiderate cycling under s29 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 on 5 March 2025. While the officer who ticketed the cyclist in March is the same officer seen in the video filmed in April, the footage is not from the day he received the ticket.
A barrister and climate campaigner has accused City of London Police of wasting resources after he was issued a ticket for cycling without hands on the handlebars — with the officer allegedly claiming the action contravened Article 2 of the Human Rights Act — and criticised the force for prioritising the fining of 285 red-light-jumping cyclists in 2025 instead of focusing on rampant bike theft and phone snatching in the capital.
Paul Powlesland posted a video of the encounter, which happened on 2 April, on social media, stating that he had been stopped during rush hour and fined for “cycling no-handed” — something he argued was not an offence. City of London Police this afternoon explained that Powlesland was stopped and ticketed by the same officer a month prior to that video being filmed, on 5 March, for careless and inconsiderate cycling under s29 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.
In the footage, Powlesland asks: “So anyone cycling no-handed in rush hour is going to get ticketed?” The officer replies: “If I see them, yes.”
Powlesland responds: “And you think that’s a valuable use of City of London Police time when bike theft is endemic? You don’t even investigate most bike theft. There’s phone snatching going on — you could be getting robbers. You’re letting phone snatchers and bike thieves go to ticket law-abiding citizens cycling no-handed. Do you honestly think that’s a good use of City of London Police time?”
The officer replies: “Cycling with no hands on the handlebars places others at risk, and contravenes Article 2 of the Human Rights Act.”
Laughing, Powlesland repeats: “Cycling no-handed violates Article 2 of the Human Rights Act? That’s the Right to Life, isn’t it?” The officer attempts to clarify: “No, I said it endangers people on the road,” at which point he cuts in: “No, you said me cycling no-handed violates Article 2. I think we’re done at that. It’s rather silly, isn’t it?”
I recently got stopped & ticketed by the City of London Police for, & I kid you not, “cycling no handed”. Even though it’s clearly not an offence, the officer said they were ticketing me under the Human Rights Act as I was infringing other people’s Article 2 ‘Right to Life’, in… https://t.co/LU4BUKZZ4w pic.twitter.com/3DBE6XUgSN
— Paul Powlesland (@paulpowlesland) July 3, 2025
While cycling without your hands on the handlebars is not illegal in the UK — unlike Cyprus, which made it an offence in 2016 — there is a grey area which allows the police to stop and fine cyclists if they are judged to be not in proper control of their bike. Here, the cyclist was issued with a ticket for careless and inconsiderate cycling under s29 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.
A City of London Police Spokesperson said: “We’re aware of a social media post that shows a small clip from a longer interaction between a cyclist and a City of London Police officer on the 2 April 2025. The cyclist approached the officer and during their three-minute chat, the Human Rights Act was mentioned. The cyclist was not ticketed on this day, but he had approached the officer because she had issued him a ticket on the 5 March 2025 in the City of London.
“On the 5 March 2025, the officer observed the cyclist riding with his arms stretched out wide and off the handlebars during rush hour. The officer stopped the cyclist and issued him with a ticket for careless and inconsiderate cycling under s29 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. A ticket was processed on the 19 May 2025. Should the cyclist contest the ticket, officers will attend court and present any relevant evidence that we have obtained.”
The incident comes as City of London Police continues its summer enforcement campaign Safer City Streets, which has seen 284 cyclists fined for running red lights in the first six months of 2025 — over ten times as many as the 25 motorists penalised for the same offence — as the force launched a wider operation to tackle road offences, along with anti-social behaviour, and theft in the capital.
The figures were published to coincide with the start of Safer City Streets, a campaign that promises intelligence-led hotspot policing focused on the areas where the force says “crime and anti-social behaviour happen”, including red-light-jumping roads. According to the City of London Corporation, cycling in the city has increased by more than 50 per cent in the past two years, prompting calls from “pedestrians, motorists and cyclists themselves” for action.
“Utterly bonkers stuff”
Powlesland shared the video quoting the City of London Police’s tweet about the launch of the campaign, with his caption reading: “In the caption accompanying the video, Powlesland wrote: “Even though it’s clearly not an offence, the officer said they were ticketing me under the Human Rights Act as I was infringing other people’s Article 2 ‘Right to Life’, in case I fell off & injured them: utterly bonkers stuff.
“With bicycle theft basically legalised in the City due to the complete failure of the Police to bother investigating such thefts and people being regularly terrorised in London by e-bike phone muggers, it’s good to see the City of London Police concentrating the resources on what really matters.”
Cyclists stopped at red light in London (credit: Simon MacMichael)
Regarding the force’s latest initiative, Commissioner Pete O’Doherty said: “Our flagship Safer City Streets prevention campaign is about listening to what matters to our communities – whether it is antisocial behaviour, phone snatching, or dangerous road use – and taking clear, visible action. Our new three-year policing plan details our determination to reduce the harm caused by high-volume crimes.”
He continued: “Our teams are out every day with our dedicated ward officers becoming a regularly and recognisable face to local residents and businesses. We’re also one of the few forces in the country where scenes of crimes officers go to every incident where forensics can be recovered. This is how we as a police force are going the extra mile to support victims and reduce crime.”
“Targeted and intelligence-led hotspot policing, with increased officer patrols funded, is creating safer streets for people who live, work and visit the Square Mile.”
Tijs Broeke, Chair of the City of London Police Authority Board, added: “People want to feel safe on our streets whether they’re walking to work, cycling through the Square Mile, or just enjoying the City.
Cyclist in London at night with bus and red light in background – copyright Simon MacMichael (credit: road.cc)
The new enforcement numbers coincide with a behavioural survey commissioned by e-bike hire firm Lime and conducted by Thinks Insight & Strategy, which found that 52 per cent of London cyclists admitted to going through red lights, including 16 per cent who said they do so regularly.
Daily riders — primarily commuters — were the most frequent offenders, with 58 per cent admitting to the behaviour, compared to 43 per cent of those who ride monthly. Despite this, 82 per cent of respondents acknowledged that the practice is dangerous, while over 10 per cent said they were unaware that it is illegal.
Lime said the results highlight the need for both infrastructure improvements and rider education. Hal Stevenson, director of policy UK & Ireland, said: “This research confirms what we’ve long known; when cyclists don’t feel safe, they take risks.
“Cyclists also need to take responsibility. Running red lights puts everyone at risk. As part of London’s cycling community, we know Lime has a role to play.”
The company’s new Respect the Red campaign will include safety messaging on key junctions and route data sharing with councils to support “targeted improvements and enforcement”.
Tom Sleigh, chairman of the City of London Corporation planning and transportation committee, said: “Cycling in the City is booming – with a 70 per cent increase in just two years – and that’s something we welcome. But with that growth comes responsibility.
“Most people riding in the Square Mile are safe and respectful. But let’s be honest: red-light running by a minority puts everyone at risk. It’s not just illegal – it’s antisocial.”
Cyclists in London stopped at red light (credit: Simon MacMichael)
Last year, it was reported that the police force issued 1,229 fines to cyclists in the 12 months following the launch of its Cycle Response Unit in July 2023. The unit — formed in response to “concerns from the community around road safety and anti-social behaviour” — was previously reported to have issued 944 red light fines in its first nine months.
By contrast, Metropolitan Police figures obtained under FOI and published last July showed that 4,067 cyclists were fined in London in 2023, amounting to an average of 11 per day. In the same report, Transport for London data from 2015 showed that 57,692 motorists — or 158 a day — were fined for the same offence, although up-to-date driver enforcement statistics have not been made public.
City of London Police have consistently maintained that their focus on cyclist offences does not come at the expense of driver enforcement. From July 2023 to April 2024, their Road Policing Unit stopped 3,852 vehicles, issued 1,678 traffic offences, made 92 arrests, and seized 203 vehicles for no insurance.
In July last year, actor Nigel Havers bizarrely (and falsely) claimed during a BBC segment that “no cars go through a red light” but “every cyclist does”, prompting road.cc contributor Laura Laker to respond that “all road users break the law in equal amount” and that policing cuts have worsened behaviour across the board.