February 1, 2006 – With the addition of 133 new police officers in the Montreal Area, the SPVM (Service de Police de Montreal) is cracking down on cyclists, pedestrians, and drivers who disobey red lights, stop signs, and J-walk in an effort to make streets safer.

Inspector Réjean Toussaint says police will patrol city streets and intersections. “In addition to cars, we will also be watching for cyclists and pedestrians who don’t respect traffic lights. This includes infractions for those who run yellows or block intersections during rush hour,” he said. This initiative poses potential problems for bike couriers, known to bend the rules’ in order to function effectively in their jobs.

Yesterday morning in the city of Anjou on the Autoroute 25, in one hour a police radar trap caught 31 drivers who were speeding.