Mobike user on M60 near Trafford Centre was one of three motorway cyclists in Manchester yesterday

The BBC reports that a cyclist was caught riding a Mobike on the hard shoulder of the M60 near the Trafford Centre yesterday. North West Motorway Police received two further reports of motorway cycling before the morning was out.

The geographic area in which users are allowed to park the city’s Mobikes was reduced in November after the firm’s bikes ended up spread too thinly.

Since then, more bikes have been added and the scheme has extended to Salford and Stockport. Users can take bikes outside the ‘geofenced’ area but must park them within it.

This particular user was stopped by police at Junction 9 in Urmston at around 5.30am. The rider was ‘reported’.

North West Motorway Police tweeted:

Manchester free bikes not for use on the motorway #PolTwt pic.twitter.com/rb5PODSSJu

— North West Motorway Police (@NWmwaypolice) April 27, 2018

(Obviously, the bikes aren’t ‘free’ – except in the sense that you’re free to hire them if you’re a registered user.)

The account then tweeted two further reports of cyclists on motorways in the area.

At 9.10am, it said: “Getting reports of a female on a pushbike going from A580 East Lancashire Road towards M61 northbound. Police patrol and @HighwaysNWEST en route. #poltwt”

This was followed at 11.45am by a report of someone cycling near Manchester Airport: “Call from ambulance control. One of their crews have spotted yet another cyclist on the motorway - M56 J5 to J6. Cycling on the hard shoulder. So dangerous, even more so with the poor weather conditions.”