Councils improve bike bay security

LOCAL authorities are finally beginning to actively tackle bike theft by installing more ground anchors in bike parking bays.

We reported last month that a new report had highlighted the worst areas in the country for bike theft. The National Criminal Intelligence service, which compiled the report, said it hoped local authorities would be prompted into action by the findings.

And now, the desired effect has begun. London’s Wandsworth Borough Council has already installed 20 ground anchors in Putney and has set aside a budget to provide for another 80 more.

Bristol City Council also recently installed ground anchors at a number of locations in Broadmead and London’s Westminster now has ground anchors in seven bike bays around St James’ Park.

Islington Borough Council, in London, has just installed 30 ground anchors along its busy St John’s Street, following a series of thefts.

According to PC Paul Agland, head of vehicle crime initiatives in Islington, thefts have already dropped dramatically where they’ve been installed. ” Three scooters a week were getting stolen from a particular parking bay, ” he said. ” But in the month after we installed ground anchors, only one bike was stolen from the bay – and the owner hadn’t used one of the anchors. ”