Rogue cyclists must be fined

LAST Monday police launched a two-week road safety initiative to promote safer driving and cycling in Edinburgh city centre.

Why did the police launch this with great publicity in the press and TV, since now the drivers and cyclists have been alerted and will be on their best behaviour?

Only in the second week will there be penalties, when these should have been imposed from day one.

My gripe is with rogue ­cyclists. A Freedom of Information request covering Scotland revealed that in the last two years there were 725 cycling offences recorded – an abysmal one per day. Ignoring red lights was only 255, and incredibly only two cyclists 
in two years were fined for 
cycling on the pavement.

Numerous £500 fines would act as a deterrent.

Between 2005 and 2009 in the UK ten pedestrians were killed and 262 seriously injured by cyclists.

The police must act firmly, not undertake a futile public relations exercise.

Clark Cross, Linlithgow