{"id":235721,"date":"2025-07-03T21:19:14","date_gmt":"2025-07-03T21:19:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/235721\/"},"modified":"2025-07-03T21:19:14","modified_gmt":"2025-07-03T21:19:14","slug":"youre-ticketing-law-abiding-citizens-cyclist-fined-for-riding-no-handed-as-police-officer-claims-it-contravenes-human-rights-act","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/235721\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cYou\u2019re ticketing law-abiding citizens!\u201d: Cyclist fined for \u201criding no-handed\u201d as police officer claims it \u201ccontravenes Human Rights Act\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

UPDATE: Please note this story has been updated to\u00a0include the context that the video shared on social media took place on\u00a02 April 2025,\u00a0a month after\u00a0the cyclist was issued a ticket by the same officer for careless and inconsiderate cycling under s29 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 on\u00a05 March 2025. While the officer who ticketed the cyclist in March is the same officer seen in the video filmed in April,\u00a0the footage is not from the day he received the ticket.<\/p>\n

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 \u2014 with the officer allegedly claiming the action contravened Article 2 of the Human Rights Act \u2014 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.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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 \u201ccycling no-handed\u201d \u2014 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\u00a05 March,\u00a0for careless and inconsiderate cycling under s29 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.<\/p>\n

In the footage,\u00a0Powlesland asks: \u201cSo anyone cycling no-handed in rush hour is going to get ticketed?\u201d The officer replies: \u201cIf I see them, yes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Powlesland responds: \u201cAnd you think that\u2019s a valuable use of City of London Police time when bike theft is endemic? You don\u2019t even investigate most bike theft. There\u2019s phone snatching going on \u2014 you could be getting robbers. You\u2019re letting phone snatchers and bike thieves go to ticket law-abiding citizens cycling no-handed. Do you honestly think that\u2019s a good use of City of London Police time?\u201d<\/p>\n

The officer replies: \u201cCycling with no hands on the handlebars places others at risk, and contravenes Article 2 of the Human Rights Act.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laughing, Powlesland repeats: \u201cCycling no-handed violates Article 2 of the Human Rights Act? That\u2019s the Right to Life, isn\u2019t it?\u201d The officer attempts to clarify: \u201cNo, I said it endangers people on the road,\u201d at which point he cuts in: \u201cNo, you said me cycling no-handed violates Article 2. I think we\u2019re done at that. It\u2019s rather silly, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

I recently got stopped & ticketed by the City of London Police for, & I kid you not, \u201ccycling no handed\u201d. Even though it\u2019s clearly not an offence, the officer said they were ticketing me under the Human Rights Act as I was infringing other people\u2019s Article 2 \u2018Right to Life\u2019, in\u2026 https:\/\/t.co\/LU4BUKZZ4w<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/3DBE6XUgSN<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Paul Powlesland (@paulpowlesland) July 3, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

>\u00a0Cyclist to be prosecuted for \u201criding in the middle of the road\u201d after filming a driver using mobile phone<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

While cycling without your hands on the handlebars is not illegal in the UK \u2014 unlike Cyprus, which made it an offence in 2016<\/a> \u2014\u00a0there is a grey area which allows the police to stop and fine cyclists if\u00a0they are\u00a0judged to be not in proper control of their bike. Here, the cyclist was\u00a0issued\u00a0with a ticket for careless and inconsiderate cycling under s29 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

“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.”<\/p>\n

The incident comes as City of London Police continues its\u00a0summer enforcement campaign Safer City Streets, which has seen 284 cyclists fined for running red lights in the first six months of 2025 \u2014 over ten times as many as the 25 motorists penalised for the same offence \u2014 as the force launched a wider operation to tackle road offences, along with anti-social behaviour, and theft in the capital.<\/p>\n

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 \u201ccrime and anti-social behaviour happen\u201d, 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 \u201cpedestrians, motorists and cyclists themselves\u201d for action.<\/p>\n

\u201cUtterly bonkers stuff\u201d<\/p>\n

Powlesland shared the video quoting the City of London Police\u2019s tweet about the launch of the campaign, with his caption reading: \u201cIn the caption accompanying the video, Powlesland wrote: \u201cEven though it\u2019s clearly not an offence, the officer said they were ticketing me under the Human Rights Act as I was infringing other people\u2019s Article 2 \u2018Right to Life\u2019, in case I fell off & injured them: utterly bonkers stuff.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith 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\u2019s good to see the City of London Police concentrating the resources on what really matters.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"CyclistsCyclists stopped at red light in London (credit: Simon MacMichael)<\/p>\n

>\u00a0City of London Police claim 1,200 cyclists fined in a year is “great result” for “Cycle Response Unit” tackling “road safety and anti-social behaviour”<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Regarding the force\u2019s latest initiative, Commissioner Pete O\u2019Doherty said: \u201cOur flagship Safer City Streets prevention campaign is about listening to what matters to our communities \u2013 whether it is antisocial behaviour, phone snatching, or dangerous road use \u2013 and taking clear, visible action. Our new three-year policing plan details our determination to reduce the harm caused by high-volume crimes.\u201d<\/p>\n

He continued: \u201cOur teams are out every day with our dedicated ward officers becoming a regularly and recognisable face to local residents and businesses. We\u2019re 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTargeted and intelligence-led hotspot policing, with increased officer patrols funded, is creating safer streets for people who live, work and visit the Square Mile.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tijs Broeke, Chair of the City of London Police Authority Board, added: \u201cPeople want to feel safe on our streets whether they\u2019re walking to work, cycling through the Square Mile, or just enjoying the City.<\/p>\n

\"CyclistCyclist in London at night with bus and red light in background – copyright Simon MacMichael (credit: road.cc)<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Daily riders \u2014\u00a0primarily commuters \u2014\u00a0were 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.<\/p>\n

>\u00a0\u201cWait until you hear about cars\u201d: Cyclists respond to Telegraph\u2019s latest story claiming \u201cmore than half of cyclists\u201d in London jumped red lights at rush hour<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Lime said the results highlight the need for both infrastructure improvements and rider education. Hal Stevenson, director of policy UK & Ireland, said: \u201cThis research confirms what we\u2019ve long known; when cyclists don\u2019t feel safe, they take risks.<\/p>\n

\u201cCyclists also need to take responsibility. Running red lights puts everyone at risk. As part of London\u2019s cycling community, we know Lime has a role to play.\u201d<\/p>\n

The company\u2019s new Respect the Red campaign will include safety messaging on key junctions and route data sharing with councils to support \u201ctargeted improvements and enforcement\u201d.<\/p>\n

Tom Sleigh, chairman of the City of London Corporation planning and transportation committee, said: \u201cCycling in the City is booming \u2013 with a 70 per cent increase in just two years \u2013 and that\u2019s something we welcome. But with that growth comes responsibility.<\/p>\n

\u201cMost people riding in the Square Mile are safe and respectful. But let\u2019s be honest: red-light running by a minority puts everyone at risk. It\u2019s not just illegal \u2013 it\u2019s antisocial.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"CyclistsCyclists in London stopped at red light (credit: Simon MacMichael)<\/p>\n

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<\/a> in July 2023. The unit \u2014 formed in response to \u201cconcerns from the community around road safety and anti-social behaviour\u201d \u2014 was previously reported to have issued 944 red light fines in its first nine months.<\/p>\n

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<\/a>. In the same report, Transport for London data from 2015 showed that 57,692 motorists \u2014 or 158 a day \u2014 were fined for the same offence, although up-to-date driver enforcement statistics have not been made public.<\/p>\n

> “Cyclists see themselves as the centre of the universe,”\u00a0says actress Patricia Hodge in rant questioning why police “never”\u00a0stop red light-jumping cyclists<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

In July last year, actor Nigel Havers bizarrely (and falsely) claimed during a BBC segment that \u201cno cars go through a red light\u201d but \u201cevery cyclist does\u201d<\/a>, prompting road.cc contributor Laura Laker to respond that \u201call road users break the law in equal amount\u201d and that policing cuts have worsened behaviour across the board.<\/p>\n