City of London cyclists red light fines: film offered instead

City of London Police has begun offering cyclists caught riding through red lights the choice of watching a short road safety film instead of receiving an immediate fine. The change, announced on Wednesday 14 October, affects the Square Mile only, but it marks a shift in how London cyclists’ red light fines are enforced. The force stresses that penalties have not been scrapped.

According to LBC, officers were at Bank Junction on the morning of the announcement, using a tent with a television linked to a laptop and the words “time out zone” written on the ground. The scheme is called “STOP, LOOK, LISTEN, CHANGE”, the BBC reported.

Who is affected and how the choice works

The scheme applies to cyclists stopped by City of London Police for going through a red light. LBC and the Evening Standard reported that riders are offered a 47-second video or a £50 fixed penalty notice. The Standard said the film will be shown on certain operations, where police have identified offending hotspots.

Not every rider will get the option. Sgt Stuart Ford, cycle team lead at the force, said: “Cyclists will not always be offered this option. Where enforcement is necessary, we will enforce.” He described the film as “an additional tool for our officers”, used at their discretion during patrols and operations.

The film includes testimony from a cyclist struck by a bus and warnings about the danger to blind and visually impaired pedestrians. The Standard, citing The Times, said it also features two visually impaired women and CCTV footage of serious accidents involving bicycles.

Fixed penalty notices to cyclists have doubled

The change follows a sharp rise in enforcement. The BBC and The Independent reported that the force issued 1,315 fixed penalty notices to cyclists in 2025/26, against 643 in the previous financial year. The Independent said these covered offences including red-light jumping, not only that one.

On those figures, notices rose by 672, an increase of about 105%. The Standard put the latest total at roughly 25 a week, which matches 1,315 divided by 52 weeks. For a rider offered the choice, the trade is 47 seconds of film against a £50 penalty.

Reaction and what happens next

Tijs Broeke, chair of the City of London Police Authority Board, said: “People feel strongly about cyclists running red lights, and rightly so. It can put pedestrians at risk, particularly those who are blind or visually impaired.” He added that the initiative “combines education with enforcement”.

Greg Smith, the shadow transport minister, welcomed the enforcement push. He said the force “must be commended for cracking down on these dangerous and antisocial road users” and that no one, including cyclists, is above the law. His comments, reported by the Standard, were about enforcement generally rather than the film option.

The sources do not say how long the scheme will run, how many riders will be offered the film, or whether the force will publish results. The film will be built into patrols and operations, and it sits alongside the Cycle Response Unit, relaunched in 2023, which also deals with phone snatching, drug offences and illegal e-bikes. A rider stopped on a red light should expect an officer to decide between the film and a notice on the spot.

Your questions answered

Can a cyclist be fined for running a red light?

Yes. City of London Police issues fixed penalty notices to cyclists, and the film option does not replace them. The Standard and LBC reported the fine at £50, and the force issued 1,315 notices to cyclists in 2025/26.

Can cyclists be fined for riding on the pavement?

The force’s announcement did not cover pavement riding. The film scheme is aimed at red-light offences, so readers wanting the legal position should check official guidance.

Does the 20 mph speed limit apply to cyclists?

The sources do not address speed limits. The City of London Police announcement is about red lights, and nothing in it changes other rules for cyclists.