Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

Back to news
news
Crime & Legal
“This does not constitute your daily exercise,” police tell cyclist stopped on M60Motorway Sign.jpg

“This does not constitute your daily exercise,” police tell cyclist stopped on M60

Man was stopped near Cheadle on Sunday and will be fined
by Simon_MacMichael
Mon, Mar 30, 2020 12:33
10

A cyclist caught riding on the M60 was told by police, “This does not constitute your daily exercise.”

The rider is set to be fined after being stopped by officers yesterday close to junction 3 near Cheadle in Cheshire.

> Daily exercise rules: current cycling dos and don'ts

Bicycles are banned from the UK’s motorways, but apparently the man “couldn’t understand what the issue was,” North West Motorway Police said in a tweet.

Highway Code rule 253 states:

Prohibited vehicles. Motorways MUST NOT be used by pedestrians, holders of provisional motorcycle or car licences, riders of motorcycles under 50 cc, cyclists, horse riders, certain slow-moving vehicles and those carrying oversized loads (except by special permission), agricultural vehicles, and powered wheelchairs/powered mobility scooters.

We’ve regularly reported here on road.cc about cyclists who, unwittingly or on purpose, end up on motorways, including the M60.

> Warning that cycling could be banned if people don’t ride responsibly 

In November 2017, a delivery driver spoke of his shock at seeing a man pedalling his bike along the motorway close to the Trafford Centre.

“He looked like he was just going about his daily business,” the driver said.

> Updated: How to cycle responsibly in a time of pandemic

And in March 2014, a cyclist was spotted on CCTV by a supervisor at the North West Motorway Police riding on the massive Barton Bridge, which carries the M60 over the Manchester Ship Canal.

The supervisor, Mike Duggan, said: “My advice to people would be to not ride a push bike over the Barton Bridge, and also that if your sat-nav is telling you to do something dangerous, don’t do it.”

> How much distance should you leave to the cyclist ahead in a time of pandemic?

motorway
M60
Simon MacMichael

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

Add new comment

10 comments

Avatar
Deeferdonk | 4 years ago
10 likes

it was nice of the police to tell him it didn't constitute his daily excercise. Meant he could go out for a second ride later that day.

Avatar
crazy-legs | 4 years ago
0 likes

I phoned the police once on the M60 (handsfree!) to report a cyclist along there. Just some bloke on a rattly old MTB with a shopping bag on his handlebars, it wasn't far from Cheadle actually. There's a couple of confusing junctions around there, it's easy to get lost.

Or maybe he just didn't care either way.

Avatar
ktache | 4 years ago
5 likes

With the motorist caught doing 134mph in a 40 zone, and the speeding I've seen recently, and with the double close pass by fast cars on a 50 mph road with double white lines and oncoming traffic today, the tailgater being even closer than the first, there may be some safety arguements to be had for riding on the very quiet motorways, provided they are the ones with hard shoulders, not the so called "smart" ones.

Avatar
Gary's bike channel | 4 years ago
2 likes

ive cycled 135 miles this week, and im bloody proud of it. The lack of engine powered vehicles has made it feel far safer and everyone is leaving me and other riders massive space, its brilliant. I wouldnt ride on a motorway, but come on, the police cant tell us what does and doesnt count as exercise. If i want to batter myself doing rides flat out for a few hours then i shall do. 

Avatar
fukawitribe replied to Gary's bike channel | 4 years ago
7 likes

The World thanks you for your massive sense of entitlement.

Avatar
LastBoyScout replied to Gary's bike channel | 4 years ago
2 likes
david rides wrote:

The lack of engine powered vehicles has made it feel far safer and everyone is leaving me and other riders massive space, its brilliant. 

Not according to the 3 very close passes I had yesterday!

Avatar
joe9090 replied to Gary's bike channel | 4 years ago
1 like

Gold medal for you! Just bear in mind if you needed hospitalisation as a result of some endurance related accident you could die in hospital from a virus. Not saying you shoudlnt cycle, just consider it fully unsupported.

Avatar
kevvjj replied to Gary's bike channel | 4 years ago
1 like

You are a champion. You must feel so proud that you can publicy announce that no-one can tell you what to do. Awesome.

Avatar
Tommytrucker | 4 years ago
1 like

There was one pulled over by a traffic cop yesterday on the M62 behind Ikea in Warrington. Didn't exactly look like a regular cyclist, could've just got lost 🤔

Avatar
Zebulebu replied to Tommytrucker | 4 years ago
2 likes
Tommytrucker wrote:

There was one pulled over by a traffic cop yesterday on the M62 behind Ikea in Warrington. Didn't exactly look like a regular cyclist, could've just got lost 🤔

Near the Birchwood exit? Go the wrong way in Birchwood and it takes you up to the motorway, with no exit other than onto the motorway (unless you come right back round on yourself and go back the way you came up it) - I've seen cyclists on the roundabout there looking confused before

Latest Comments