Police issued fines to over 50 cyclists who jumped red traffic lights in central Oxford on Friday.
The operation, which took place at the junction of Broad Street and Parks Road, formed part of a road safety campaign.
Two plain clothes officers situated outside the junction between Broad Street and Parks Road radioed descriptions of cyclists who ignored red lights to uniform officers further down the road, who pulled them over.
The cyclists, the majority of whom are students, were issued £30 fines and given advice on road safety.
In Trinity Term last year, nearly 200 cyclists were fined in two operations at the same junction.
PC Stephen Higa said that police were not trying to victimise students.
“The main reason is safety. If a cycle were to go through a red light, the consequences are potentially catastrophic.”
However, the experience was too much to handle for some.
One female student, who was stopped for passing an amber light, broke down in tears after she was pulled over.
She was not fined as she did not pass a red light. Officers had only wanted to offer her safety advice.
A student who has just finished his course at Oxford Brookes was among those who received fines. He said that the police should “use more discretion”.
He continued, “A verbal warning would have been appreciated. I’ve got shit all money at the moment.”
PC Higa said that there were further operations planned this month on Queen Street and Cornmarket.
