MOST cyclists in Iffley Road break the law, and they seem to treat temporary traffic signals as an excuse to break the law even more than usual.

Between 9 -10am on July 8, I recorded 149 cyclists pass Iffley Road’s roadworks between Stockmore Street and The Plain. Of those who arrived when the signal was red, only 38.7 per cent obeyed it.

Another 38.7 per cent rode along the footway, while 22.6 per cent cycled past the red signal and rode through the roadworks on the carriageway. The total breaking the law was 61.3 per cent.

Even when the signal was green, 26 per cent rode on the pavement instead of going through the roadworks on the carriageway.

Several footway cyclists had child seats, so I take them to be parents. One woman and an older boy lawfully took the carriageway through the roadworks – but immediately afterwards she rode on the pavement and shrieked “pavement! pavement!” ordering him to do likewise.

In recent months I have seen cyclists ride on footways past roadworks on New Road, Woodstock Road and elsewhere in Oxford. Law-breaking among Oxford cyclists is prevalent and out of control.

Footway cyclists both endanger pedestrians themselves and set a bad example. If politely asked to desist, footway cyclists become aggressive or abusive.

Since the Iffley Road roadworks began, how much time have our police spent there stopping cyclists from breaking the law? How many cyclists have they caught and how many have been charged?

The law-breakers are so numerous, enforcement for a random hour each day should earn enough in fines to pay for itself.

HUGH JAEGER Park Close Oxford