by Rupert Janisch

Police took the details of more than 40 cyclists who broke traffic laws at a busy section of a Bristol road this morning.

In a two-hour operation at the Zetland Road junction of Gloucester Road, officers stopped cyclists who ran red lights and went on pavements.

Officers took their details and handed out advice on how to ride safely.

Their details will be recorded on the police anti-social behaviour database and, if they get caught again, the cyclists could face on-the-spot fines of £30.

Cycling on the pavement is not against the law but it does contravene the Highway Code and people can be fined under the offence of "reckless cycling".

Police have identified five hotspots around the city and are planning regular patrols there over the next few months.

Zetland Junction has seen 25 accidents involving cyclists over the past two years and the other four places are the junctions with Gloucester Road and Muller Road, Cheltenham Road, Ashley Road and Jamaica Street, the A37 in Totterdown by the junction with St John's Lane and the North Street area of Bedminster.

Chief Inspector Andy Bennett, who is leading the operation, said: "This is in response to complaints from the public to the police, to Bristol City Council and in the Bristol Evening Post.

"The accidents recorded are only the ones which have been reported so there are probably even more and it is clear that these are real problem areas.

"So we are prepared to take forceful action to stop this from happening and hopefully it will make the whole environment safer for everyone.

"There needs to be a change of culture - as we stand, red traffic lights mean you have to stop and there is no leeway on that either for motorists or cyclists.

"Lots of cyclists hide behind the fact that they have no training so it's important that they realise how important it is to stick to the traffic laws."

In June, Bristol won a Government fund of £11.4 million to become the country's first Cycling City.

John Roy, the city council officer leading the project, said it was crucial to the success of the scheme that the relationship between the city's cyclists and motorists improved.

He said: "Riding through red lights is a big issue because it is dangerous for everyone and it does nothing to ease the tension between cyclists and car drivers.

"It's very difficult to get the motoring community on board with the Cycling City project if they think that cyclists are always breaking the law.

"What we are doing today is not using a sledgehammer to crack a nut but there are a few cyclists in the city who make life really difficult for the rest of them.

"Motorists have to accept cyclists on the road but if we are asking our politicians to make decisions which encourage more people to ride bikes then there's got to be an understanding among the cycling community that they are part of the road using group and they have to obey the law."

Cyclists in Bristol is currently the subject of a discussion on the Bristol Forum.

Cyclists have today called on local authorities to grit cycle paths as well as roads during the winter.

Users of the Bristol to Bath cycle path said they were faced with the same hazards as car drivers during the winter months.

In a statement today Bristol City Council said: "Bristol City Council is looking at providing measures on the Bristol to Bath Railway Path to combat the possible problems of ice and frost on the surface of the path.

"The council grits approximately 300 kilometres in the city when ice is forecast.

"Currently, this work is focused on principal roads, major routes connecting centres of population and commuter routes, bus routes and around hospitals and emergency services.

"There are logistical problems with gritting a corridor such as the railway path because access for large gritting lorries is not possible.

"However, the recent cold weather snap has been more of a problem than normally expected.

"In light of the increased number of days that ice has been forecast Bristol City Council will be reviewing the maintenance regime."