Brighton cyclists were handed out fixed penalty fines by Sussex Police PCSO’s for cycling along the shared use path adjacent to Moulescoomb Wild
Park, a route that is included on the Brighton and Hove City Council’s Cycling Map.
Bricycles were interviewed for an Argus article on the episode and
responded: “It’s a bit poor. It’s perfectly legal to cycle from the
entrance of Wild Park to the
bottom of Coldean Lane. The police should’ve checked before they handed
out the fines.”
Sussex Police have asked people to contact them to
get their
notices quashed. The notices were handed out in response to reports from
local residents of anti-social driving and cycling in the area and it
appears that poor signage on the route caused the misunderstanding.
Despite an adjacent on-road cycle lane on this fast, four lane
dual-carriageway section of Lewes Road, many cyclists prefer to use the
off-road shared use path for safety reasons. However the path also
provides access to the Wild Park which is popular with local residents
and children. Bricycles supports respectful cycling and urges cyclists
on all shared use paths to cycle respectfully and considerately of other
users.