Devon and Cornwall Police and Dorset Police Alliance roads policing teams simultaneously launched Operation Close Pass today to improve the safety of cyclists on the road by educating drivers on how to overtake them safely.

It aims to raise awareness amongst motorists and cyclists alike on how to behave courteously to each other on the region’s roads.

Head of roads policing Chief Inspector Adrian Leisk said: ’Rolling out Close Pass across Devon and Cornwall is in direct response to feedback we have received from cycling groups and individual cyclists about the danger and discourtesy they face on a daily basis on the regions’ roads.

’Our figures indicate approximately 400 or so collisions involving cyclists every year, 200 to 300 of which result in slight injury, 50 to 80 in serious injury. There were 4 cyclist fatalities in each of the years from 2012 to 2016.’

Close Pass works by volunteer police officers in cycling clothes, effectively ‘undercover’, taking to the road on bicycles fitted with cameras which record the behaviour of drivers who overtake them.

If offences are found to have taken place, the officer radios colleagues further down the road to direct the offending vehicle into a checkpoint where the driver will be offered roadside education using a specially designed mat which illustrates the safe passing distance.

Anyone refusing roadside education will receive a fixed penalty notice of £100 and three points on their licence for the offence of ‘driving a vehicle without reasonable consideration of others’.

As part of the campaign, Halfords stores across Devon, Cornwall and Dorset have agreed to issue all new bike owners with police guidance on their rights and responsibilities whilst cycling.