[YarraBUG-list] City of Yarra area - 'Police target cyclists for Operation Spoke'

[Yarra Bicycle Users Group]

Hi al,

Read below - please be aware that police are targetting riders in the 
City of Yarra area over the next week & a half.

Please forward on this information ASAP to anyone you know who rides 
through the area.

We'll be discussing this news on todays YarraBUG Radio program on 3CR 
from 10am today.


****


Police target cyclists for Operation Spoke
http://www.vicpolicenews.com.au/more-news/5922-police-target-cyclists-for-operation-spoke.html 

Monday, 10 January 2011 07:05

Police will target cyclists on popular bicycle routes in and around 
Collingwood, Richmond and Fitzroy as part of an operation to reduce road 
trauma.

Police officers are set to heavily patrol the known trouble spots with 
bicycles, on foot and in vehicles during peak cyclist times as part of 
Operation Spoke, a 12-day blitz which kicks off today.

Major bicycle routes including Brunswick Street, Smith Street, Swan 
Street and Bridge Road will be targeted by police.
Police will focus on cyclists not wearing helmets, not possessing lights 
at night, riding on footpaths and those disobeying traffic signs, as 
well motorists opening car doors into passing cyclists.
Cyclists will face a fine of $299 for failing to obey traffic lights and 
receive a $149 fine for not wearing a bicycle helmet or holding onto a 
moving vehicle.
Sergeant Greg Dean of Yarra Highway Patrol said Operation Spoke was both 
an enforcement and educational exercise to ensure cyclists and drivers 
were riding and driving safely in the City of Yarra.

"We want to raise the awareness of road rules and the appropriate 
bicycle behaviour within the cyclist community," he said.

"Reducing serious injury collisions is a high priority for police, and 
Operation Spoke is just another way we can communicate the road safety 
message to the community."

Sgt Dean said Fitzroy and Collingwood had recorded significant increases 
over the past few months regarding collisions involving cyclists.

There were 95 bicycle collisions within the City of Yarra from 1 July to 
31 December, 2010.

Sgt Dean said there were 15 bicycle collisions in November, and another 
15 in December.

"A large number of cyclists ride through the City of Yarra, whether it 
being their mode of transport to get to work or just for pleasure," he said.

"And with the warmer months now here, police are expecting more cyclists 
to be out and about on our roads. We are urging them to take care on our 
roads."

Eight cyclists died in Victoria in 2010 (2010 provisional road toll 
statistics).

Operation Spoke involves police from Collingwood, Fitzroy and Richmond, 
Yarra Highway Patrol and the North Melbourne West Bicycle Patrol Unit.

The blitz runs from Monday 10 January to Friday 21 January, 2011.


Kelly Yates
Media Officer
VP8171/2010



-- 

Yarra Bicycle Users Group
PO Box 253
Clifton Hill VIC 3068
http://www.yarrabug.org

Listen to YarraBUG Radio
Every Monday morning 10-10.30am on 3CR Community Radio
http://www.yarrabug.org/radio/
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Abbotsford, Alphington, Burnley, Carlton North,
Clifton Hill, Cremorne, Collingwood, Fairfield,
Fitzroy, Fitzroy North, Princes Hill, Richmond
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