Almost 60 New Territories North locals getting around on bicycles were hit with court summonses for alleged traffic offences over the weekend

Police were out in force ticketing bicycle users in New Territories North last weekend, with the long-standing Operation Goldensun resuming after an apparent two-month break to summons 58 people for alleged offences including riding on a pavement and not using lights at night.

The sudden resumption of Goldensun, which has prosecuted thousands of cyclists over the last few years, will be seen as bad news for residents using bicycles for work and commuting through the pandemic.

According to sources who had been caught up in the operation previously, police lie in wait across “cyclist dismount” junctions and near fast-food restaurants, preying on locals and workers rather than sport cyclists.

But some residents welcomed the action, complaining of cycle delivery riders cycling across pavements and pedestrian crossings without due care.

“The Police attach great importance to road safety and will continue to take relevant enforcement actions, and call on all cyclists to obey traffic regulations,” said a police statement.

The last Goldensun busts reported were in December, with police catching more than 400 cyclists over two consecutive weekends.

The latest figures available show the number of bicycle riders prosecuted doubled in the first nine months of 2021, compared with the same period of 2020.

The number of pedestrian offences charged rocketed 159% while the number of drivers charged with careless driving fell 0.3%.

Police say full-year figures for 2021 are still not available.