Cyclists are "dangerous and selfish", says Councillor Alan Amos after cyclists banned from Worcester city centre

Councillor Alan Amos said he was delighted a ban on cycling through Worcester city centre’s streets was going to be better enforced by police and was happy to see a clear plan to deal with what he called “wretched” cyclists.

The outspoken councillor, who is cabinet member for highways at the county council, also called the city’s cyclists “dangerous and selfish” and blasted Deliveroo riders as “idiots”.

Cllr Amos said: “This is an issue about the safety of the public so we need to stop the increasing number of dangerous and selfish cyclists – including Deliveroo idiots – speeding through streets full of pedestrians.

“If we don’t stop them, then it is only a matter of time before somebody is going to get injured or even killed, as happened in Hereford recently.

“The police will be actively supported by city council civil enforcement officers who will be sharing intelligence with them so that repeat offenders can be prosecuted, with the courts being asked to impose the maximum penalty given the seriousness of this offence.

“I am delighted we now have a clear and co-ordinated plan of action to deal with these wretched people.

“They just need to get off their bikes and walk them through, just like everybody else is walking in a pedestrianised zone.

“Cyclists and pedestrians do not safely mix and pedestrians have every right to be able to go about their business without constant fear of being knocked over or injured.”

The pedestrianised area of the city centre – namely High Street, Broad Street, The Shambles, Angel Street, Pump Street, Mealcheapen Street and Church Street as well parts of Friar Street, Copenhagen Street and The Cornmarket – would now be off limits for the city’s cyclists between 10.30am and 4.30pm every day.

Changes to signs around the city centre – which already outline to motorists that vehicles are banned – would inform cyclists that the ban also extends to them.

The city council says it would have little involvement in enforcing the ban because cycling through a pedestrianised area of the city on a bicycle would become a criminal issue.

The council’s civil enforcement officers – who issue fines for littering and dog fouling as well as parking tickets – would only instruct offending cyclists to get off their bikes.

Without sufficient power, further action would be the responsibility of the police. Nobody from West Mercia Police was available to comment when contacted by the Worcester News.

Talks to end the daytime cycling ban through the city centre’s busiest streets began in February – a move Cllr Amos called “utter madness” and he blasted the council for not putting enough effort into enforcing the ban.

Removing the ban would have put Worcester in line with many town and city centres across the country including Birmingham, Hereford, Cheltenham and Stratford-upon-Avon.

At the time, the city council admitted the ban was unenforceable and said no evidence had been put forward to say cyclists had caused any safety issues.