Shoppers in Oxford city centre are being put at risk by cyclists flouting traffic regulations and riding on pedestrianised streets.

Cyclists are banned from riding along the city's Cornmarket Street and Queen Street between 10am and 6pm every day.

Defying the ban can land cyclists with a £30 fine, but a lunchtime survey by the Oxford Mail counted ten cyclists failing to dismount when approaching Queen Street in just 20 minutes.

One pedestrian, who has fallen victim to the rebel cyclists, is Maureen Morris, of Oxford.

The 66-year-old part-time charity worker was walking in Queen Street when she was struck by a cyclist.

She said: "I was absolutely shocked. This cyclist was bearing down on me at great speed, swearing at me. My right arm is still black and blue. You see it all the time. Certain cyclists seem to regard themselves above the law - it's getting out of hand."

Linda Langford, 41, of Venables Close, Oxford, and her son, had a near-miss with a cyclist while out shopping in Queen Street this week.

She said: "My child has special needs and I have to watch him and hold on to him all the time. You have to keep an eye on your kids all the time, you don't want the extra bother of worrying about what the cyclists are up to."

Mr Richard Whitfeld, 70, of Green Road, Kidlington, who was out shopping with his wife, who is in a wheelchair, said: "I think it's got worse since they pedestrianised the city centre. They don't take a blind bit of notice. They seem to be a law on their own. People in wheelchairs are particularly vulnerable and have to be more alert."

Mrs Donna Horwood, 36, of Henry Road, Oxford, walking with her bike on Queen Street, agreed with the shoppers.

She said: "It's very dangerous especially with all these pushchairs and elderly people around. I've seen some very dangerous behaviour. It's those cyclists that give us all a bad name. Also cyclists without lights have got a death wish. They are asking for trouble."

PC Lewis Mayling, of Thames Valley Police, said: "Cycling in a pedestrian zone is punishable by a £30 fixed penalty notice. Cycling without lights carries the same penalty. Why risk rendering yourself liable to a fine when all you have to do is get off your bike."

Steve Stuart, partner of Warlands Bike Shop, in Botley Road, Oxford, blames the problem on a lack of provision for cyclists. He said: "Because there are cycle lanes on pavements it encourages unthinking cyclists to ride on them all over the city. It is a policy which seems to be sensible, but engenders bad behaviour. Personally I am against cycle lanes on pavements. Pavements are for people and cyclists should have proper provisions on the road."

The secretary of the Cyclist City Touring Club in Oxford, Mrs Ellen Lee, said she was recently attacked by a dog as she cycled along Cornmarket Street during the permitted times.

"There is a lot of friction between cyclists and pedestrians on the shared cycle areas," she said.

But she admitted that a "hardcore proportion" of cyclists were taking a disregard to the law and suggested it could be due to a lack of cycle training.

Oxfordshire County Council transport planner, Samantha Tharme said complaints about cyclists flouting the law had become common.

She said: "We rely on the police stopping cyclists - it's up to them to enforce it. Pedestrians should have priority. One of the things we will be doing in our new scheme is making it more obvious which areas are pedestrianised. What we want to encourage on the whole is responsible cycling. What we expect is cyclists to respect other people."