http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Cycling on the pavement completely legal in Scotland? en Wed, 13 May 2026 04:37:55 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3102#post-32816 Sun, 05 Jun 2011 15:45:24 +0000 wee folding bike 32816@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I don't really go along so much as across the footpath. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3102#post-32810 Sun, 05 Jun 2011 11:40:46 +0000 gembo 32810@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The more people cycling = the more people cycling on the pavement = the more people getting annoyed about it = the more likelihood of fixed penalty</p> <p>Is I think a logical conclusion - I will occasionally ask someone to consider why they are cycling on the pavement - when there are other people using the pavement and they are not slowing down observing other people's rights or beating me in a race in my head by illegally mounting the pavement, however as with wee folds example above I will occasionally push my bike [or I admit sometimes cycle it] on a short stretch of pavement if there are no pedestrians - thus by my own logic above I am contributing to the greater possible annoyance. I admit occasionally moving onto a pedestrian crossing when the pedestrian who pressed the button has made it to the pavement but the green light hasn't come on yet - guilty. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3102#post-32809 Sun, 05 Jun 2011 11:17:30 +0000 wee folding bike 32809@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Glasgow bike cops use the same short cut I do which involves crossing a pavement to get into the school car park via a gate at the eastern end. </p> <p>It saves 2-300 yards of detour in the morning and twice that in the afternoon because I avoid a one way street which goes the wrong way. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3102#post-32808 Sun, 05 Jun 2011 10:59:02 +0000 crowriver 32808@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Morningsider <em>You can get a fixed penalty notice for cycling on the pavement in Scotland - but the police hardly ever bother to issue them.</em></p> <p>Maybe this is just about a degree more tolerance of minor infractions in Scotland. I suppose if the apocryphal tales of pedestrians being constantly hit by speeding cyclists on pavement were actually true, then the approach to enforcement would be markedly different. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3102#post-32806 Sun, 05 Jun 2011 09:55:57 +0000 Morningsider 32806@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Cycling on a footway (pavement) or footpath is an offence under section 129(5) of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984. Section 6(d) of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 exempts any land where access is restricted by another Act from the access legislation - which would presumably cover the legislative restriction on cycling on pavements.</p> <p>You can get a fixed penalty notice for cycling on the pavement in Scotland - but the police hardly ever bother to issue them. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3102#post-32801 Sat, 04 Jun 2011 22:15:50 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 32801@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Nah. The land access statute would have to specifically repeal the sections of the Roads (S) Act. It's a nice thought, but nope, sadly. It would make for an interesting test case though - would certainly keep the law lords on their toes... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3102#post-32795 Sat, 04 Jun 2011 20:30:22 +0000 crowriver 32795@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'm not a lawyer (Anth? Can you help on this?) but looking at <a href="http://www.outdooraccess-scotland.com/outdoors-responsibly/your-access-rights/">this 'access rights' information</a> it seems that, technically, it would be perfectly okay to cycle on any pavement (ie. footpath in legalese) in Scotland.</p> <p>Of course, if the footpath were busy with pedestrians, one may suppose that Plod could get you for "wanton and furious driving" or even breach of the peace, or "behaviour likely to cause a breach of the peace" or any of a host of public order type offences. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3102#post-32786 Sat, 04 Jun 2011 18:46:41 +0000 Min 32786@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Yes, in reality I suspect it really does mean "paths" as distinct from pavements. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3102#post-32785 Sat, 04 Jun 2011 18:29:48 +0000 wingpig 32785@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I took the Scotland-excluded-from-the-above bit to mean the bits in relation to tracks, paths, bridleways and other rights of way away from roads. Footways next to carriageways (highways?) are presumably still bad to ride on. If not, I've been right to refrain from pointing out to Leith's ned population that they should go onto the road for reasons other than self-preservation. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3102#post-32783 Sat, 04 Jun 2011 17:56:30 +0000 Min 32783@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'd so laugh if that were true.. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3102#post-32781 Sat, 04 Jun 2011 17:43:38 +0000 crowriver 32781@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>From <a href="http://www.bikehub.co.uk/featured-articles/cycling-and-the-law/">Cycling and the Law</a> by Carlton Reid.</p> <p>"NOTE: In Scotland, much of the info listed here does not apply. In Scotland the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 gives everybody the right to non motorised access to most land in Scotland, including roads, tracks, and paths. So, apart from trampling over gardens or disturbing working farm-yards, you can walk, ride your bike, or ride a horse on any path, road or field margin".</p> <p>Looks like this may in fact be the case. Presumably this is why we don't see Scottish police officers handing out spot fines for pavement cycling, unlike in England? </p> <p>(This was sparked by <a href="http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=143&amp;page=3">an earlier thread</a>) </p>