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A dedicated week of action against bike theft is taking place until September 18th, and aims to deliver a total security message to London’s cyclists – lock your bikes securely and security mark them to deter theft.
#CycleSecureWeek is a partnership approach to tackling bike security and is organised by Transport for London (TfL), the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), City of London Police, British Transport Police and BikeRegister. It follows on from the success of Cycle Secure Week 2015, when police offered useful security advice to cyclists and more than 3,000 bikes were marked in London.
During this year’s week of action, police will get the chance to reach even more commuter cyclists, as the annual Cycle to Work Day event takes place today. More than 30,000 cyclists have already pledged to take part and ride to work on the day.
#CycleSecureWeek will also incorporate the new #LockItMarkIt campaign, which encourages secure bike locking using two good quality locks and bike marking to deter theft. Police will distribute free locks to cyclists at special events held throughout the week, as well as giving cyclists the opportunity to get their bikes marked and registered to BikeRegister.
BikeRegister is the UK’s national cycle database and the leading online bicycle identification and registration initiative aiming to reduce cycle theft, identify stolen bikes and assist in owner recovery. The system is an essential crime prevention tool that is used by every UK Police Force.
#CycleSecureWeek will also highlight the hundreds of bike marking events that take place across the capital throughout the year. Police are now able to load details of bike marking events in their area direct to the BikeRegister website, allowing members of the public to search for their local bike marking sessions at one central hub: www.bikeregister.com/events instead of having to scour social media or individual police websites for information.
James Brown, MD of BikeRegister, said: "BikeRegister is now an essential part of the toolkit that police use to fight bike crime. More than 550,000 bikes are already registered on the system and over 250,000 searches are performed on the database every year.
“We are delighted to be working in partnership with the police and TfL during the week of action. Bike marking is a proven deterrent to theft and bike owners who have their bikes marked and registered during #CycleSecureWeek can be quickly identified by Police in the event that their bike is stolen and recovered.”
Steve Burton, TfL’s director of enforcement and on-street operations, added: "With cycling in London increasing in popularity and with more bikes out on the streets, it has never been so important to keep your bike secure. Always use two good quality locks to protect your bike when unattended, and by going to one of the many events you can get advice on securing your bike, and also have your bike marked and registered.”
