Transport for London (TfL) has partnered with retailer Halfords to encourage Londoners to securely lock up bikes to reduce the risk of theft.
It follows a growth in both cycling and bike theft in the UK capital city during the coronavirus pandemic.
Figures released by TfL show cycling is up by 20% in London, with Halfords reporting a 60% year-on-year increase in sales of new bikes since the start of the crisis.
With bike sales up, theft has also been increasingly reported across the city. Between April and September, reports of bike theft almost trebled, with 3,079 bikes reported stolen in September – up from 2,004 in September 2019.
According to TfL, there are fears owners of new bikes aren’t aware of advice to register bikes or using locks to secure bikes.
Furthermore, a survey commissioned by Halford and completed by Opinium found almost half (47%) had not marked or registered their bikes. Some 70% of those surveyed did use a bike lock but only half used a ‘robust’ lock.
The partnership has reminded Londoners to use two locks of gold ‘Sold Secure’ standard, ensuring one is a D-Lock. It recommended to secure both the bike’s frame and wheels to a stand at a recognised cycle parking facility. Where possible, parking should be well-lit and covered by CCTV.
Londoners were also advised to use a DIY bike marking kit to register to the BikeRegister online database, which all UK police forces have access to.
Siwan Hayward, director of compliance, policing operations and security at TfL, said: “This year, we’ve seen thousands more people discover the health and environmental benefits of getting around London by bike. As cycling continues to boom in popularity, however, bike theft is unfortunately also on the rise. It’s therefore crucial for Londoners to do all they can to minimise the risk of their bike being stolen.
“We’re encouraging Londoners to get their bikes visibly security marked and registered and to invest in a good quality lock to keep them safe. Our new collaboration with Halfords will ensure that bike locks are even more affordable to all those who complete our online cycle skills course.”
The collaboration is giving 15% off Halford-brand locks to anyone who completes TfL’s free online cycle skills course, in an effort to make good quality deterrents more affordable. The discount can also be applied to lights and helmets.
