The Izmir Metropolitan Municipality’s bicycle police teams work to maintain order in many areas, from environmental pollution to the safety of pedestrianized areas. The teams, who work on pedestrianized areas such as the coastal strip, Kıbrıs Şehitleri Street and the Historical Kemeraltı Bazaar with the environmentally friendly bicycles they use, do not tolerate those who do not comply with the rules. The police, who pedal for hours for a cleaner and more orderly city, have applied 6 thousand penalties against violations of the rules this year.
The Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Police Department conducts patrol duties with bicycle teams in order to raise awareness about human health and environmental sensitivity. Bicycle teams travel approximately 30 kilometers every day to ensure order on many issues, from environmental pollution to the safety of pedestrianized areas and sidewalk occupations. The teams, which tour along the coastline and work to ensure the safety of life and property in pedestrianized areas, fight against those who act contrary to the laws and regulations.
Warning is given first
Providing information about the work, Bicycle Teams Chief Ali Ertürk said that they conducted inspections on Üçkuyular, Bostanlı coastline, walking and bicycle paths. Stating that they also worked intensively in pedestrianized areas such as Kemeraltı, Kıbrıs Şehitleri Avenue, Kültür Park, Ali Ertürk said, “There are warning signs on the coastline saying ‘motorcycles are not allowed’. Kemeraltı and Kıbrıs Şehitleri Avenue are pedestrianized areas at certain hours. There are signs there as well. We take action against motor vehicle users who enter these areas outside of the specified hours. We warn them at the first stage. We apply penalties to those who enter despite the warnings.”
The maximum penalty is for pedestrianised area violations
Stating that those who use the designated areas during prohibited hours endanger the life safety of pedestrians, Ertürk said, “We continue our inspections to prevent a possible accident. We carry out the procedures within the framework of the Regulation on Municipal Orders and Prohibitions. As the Bicycle Teams Directorate, we have applied 2024 thousand penalties within the scope of the Law on Violations in 6. The monetary equivalent of this is over 10 million TL. The highest penalties were applied to motor vehicles entering pedestrianized areas. We generally issue fines to those who empty sunflower seed shells, mussel shells, and ashes from their commercial vehicles. Again, drivers who smoke in commercial vehicles and those who consume tobacco products in public transportation vehicles are also penalized.”
30 kilometers per day by bike
Police Officer Sibel İrem Balcı also pointed out that they travel approximately 30 kilometers per day by bicycle and said, “The throwing of sunflower seed shells, garbage, cigarette butts on the streets is a big problem for us. We are trying to raise awareness among our citizens on this issue. We are issuing warnings. There are garbage containers everywhere. We ask everyone to be sensitive about this issue. Our aim is to live in a much cleaner city.”
Penalties to increase in the new year
According to the Law on Violations, there is a fine of 977 TL for occupations and 2 TL for those entering pedestrianized areas with motorcycles. The fine for polluting the environment is 52 TL. These figures will increase as of 313 within the scope of the new regulation.
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