ON-the-spot fines for rogue cyclists will be introduced this year following a consultation period between Transport officials and gardai.

The plans will see fines of around €50 being handed down to cyclists who run red lights, cycle the wrong way on roads or mount footpaths.

The Department of Transport has confirmed that the Heads of the Bill providing for such cycling offences will be published in the coming weeks.

It's expected that powers will be extended to gardai to hand down fines to cyclists who commit certain offences, with the number of offences expected to rise over time.

The fine must be paid within 56 days or the cyclist will be ordered to appear in court.

Sources with knowledge of the process say the expectation is that further cycling offences will be legislated for in the future.

These include the introduction of sanctions for not having lights or not wearing appropriate safety gear that identifies cyclists in the dark.

crackdown

While gardai have been involved in a crackdown on dangerous behaviour by cyclists in recent months, the introduction of on-the-spot fines will bring them into line with penalties handed down to motorists.

It is expected that the penalties will be introduced after March of next year - a full 12 months later than originally planned.

"This primary legislation change will be made in the new Road Traffic Bill currently in preparation, the Heads of which are expected to be published in the coming weeks," a department spokesperson told the Herald.

"When this legislation change is completed, amendments to the Fixed Charge Notice system can then be made to include cycling offences.

"The department will look at all safety issues in conjunction with An Garda Siochana, concentrating firstly on those offences that already exist in current legislation."

The 2010 Road Traffic Act brought in a new offence of "drunk cycling" after significant concern was raised by gardai.

Gardai last week reported that 12 cyclists were killed on the roads last year, seven more than in 2013.

hnews@herald.ie