Hundreds of people using bicycles have been caught up in police “anti-cycling” operations this month

Police have ramped up New Territories-wide “anti-cycling” operations, with the previously sporadic “Goldensun” operation and other bicycle ops now blitzing cycle paths almost every fortnight.

Last weekend, New Territories North police issued 197 summonses to people using bicycles, claiming non-compliance with traffic lights or “cyclist dismount” signs and other offences.

Two weeks earlier, a weekend “traffic day” campaign in Yuen Long issued 76 summonses to cyclists for similar offences, with that operation coming just a few weeks after another “traffic day” netted 66 summonses for bicycle riders.

And an offshoot of Goldensun targeting only e-mobility users saw 15 riders arrested on 7-8 July.

Police say the efforts are justified, with crash data pointing to a rising number of serious crashes involving bicycles over the last few years.

Campaigners, however, have said any rise in bicycle crashes is due to a visible rise in the number of people using bicycles to get around.

Transport Department says it does not maintain figures on how many people ride bicycles.

There were 2,860 bicycle casualties in 2021, including fatal, serious and slight crashes.

Yuen Long saw the highest concentration of bicycle deaths in 2021, with three of eight recorded Hong Kong bike deaths last year seen in a 1km radius around Ping Shan.

One of those victims was crushed to death by a cement truck as the truck driver turned right across a break in a cycle path. Another was struck by another cyclist, both on the road, and another died in unknown circumstances.