You could be arrested and JAILED for breaking this new rule at 14 major UK shopping centres
Intu Properties, which owns big shopping centres like the Trafford Centre and Metrocentre, shared news of the unusual ban on its website
CYCLISTS caught riding through 14 major shopping centres in the UK could face prison time.
Intu Properties successfully applied for an injunction from London's High Court which means the new rules are now in place across Britain.
Some of the company's shopping centres are among the biggest and most well-known in the UK, including the Trafford Centre and Lakeside.
The company explained that the the cycling sanctions have been put in place for safety reasons.
An Intu spokesperson said: “Intu centres are family friendly environments and we want everyone to feel safe and enjoy themselves when they visit us.
That’s why we’ve taken out an injunction that prohibits people from riding bikes or driving vehicles through our busy centres.
“We haven’t taken this decision lightly but would like to reassure people that we absolutely support cycling as a means to travel to our centres and that's why we have bicycle parking areas that are open to all.”
Anyone who is caught in breach of the new rules could now face prison time.
They could also be slapped with a fine or have their assets seized if they fall foul of the anti-cycling regulations.
Which shopping centres are affected?
Here's the full list of Intu shopping centres which you can no longer cycle through:
- Braehead
- Broadmarsh
- Chapelfield
- Derby
- Eldon Square
- Lakeside
- Merry Hill
- Metrocentre
- Milton Keynes
- Potteries
- Trafford Centre
- Uxbridge
- Victoria Centre
- Watford
The new rules came into effect when the High Court made the order in July this year.
Intu's injunction is just one of the new laws affecting cyclists this year.
Earlier this year, some police forces started issuing £100 fines for motorists passing less than 1.5m from bikes in a bid to make the roads safer for cyclists.
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