Police in Ipswich hold close pass operation

Police in Ipswich have this week held a close pass operation targeting motorists who fail to give cyclists enough room when overtaking them or who put them in danger through issues such as tailgating or left hooks.

The operation, held in the centre of the Suffolk county town yesterday, saw plain clothes officers riding bicycles equipped with action cameras to capture evidence of poor driving, reports the Ipswich Star.

When an incident occurred, they would report them to uniformed colleagues on motorbikes, who would then flag down the motorist concerned.

Except in cases of drug-driving or dangerous driving, motorists were given the opportunity to be escorted to a location where they would undergo voluntary education on how to pass cyclists safely.

Advice given included showing them the recommended 1.5-metre safe passing distance with the help of a mat, crowdfunded by the charity Cycling UK and distributed to police forces around the UK, as well as being informed of hazards cyclists face.

Motorists declining the offer risked being reported for careless driving.

The award-winning close pass initiative was originally developed by traffic officers at West Midlands Police in 2016, and has since been taken up by forces across the country.

Such operations are regularly highlighted to written and broadcast media, meaning that they gain wider exposure beyond just the drivers who were stopped.

According to West Midlands Police, in the first year its initiative was in operation, the number of cyclists killed or seriously injured on the region’s roads fell by a fifth.