BICYCLE thefts in Worcester are the worst in the West Midlands, according to new statistics.

Government figures on bike thefts show there were 328 thefts per 100,000 people in 2020 in Worcester.

This is a long way ahead of the next two in the list, Coventry (119) and Stoke on Trent (110).

However, when grouped and split into the UK’s 12 regions, the West Midlands ranked as the third lowest number for bike thefts, with its rate standing at 75 per 100,000 on average.

In Worcester, new safe storage for bicycles has been installed at the Crowngate Centre thanks to the efforts of cycling group Bike Worcester.

Standard cycle parking, benches, a map of Worcester, colour CCTV, a repair station and pump, plus regular security guard patrols have all been implemented as a deterrent to would-be thieves.

Danny Brothwell, from Bike Worcester, said: “As a small city where many journeys can be made by bike in less than 15 minutes ,Worcester should be ahead of other UK cities in enabling and encouraging active travel, and to reap the benefits it brings for us all. The risk of bike theft is undoubtedly one of several barriers to people choosing to make journeys by bike, and the city and county councils should be looking to improve security at locations where bike storage is encouraged, or moving them to more appropriate locations.

“The recently opened facility at Crowngate Shopping Centre is an excellent example of how a proactive approach and a vision to improving facilities for those choosing active travel, including consultation with expected users, can provide a quality and secure environment.

“As individuals it’s important to spend money on good quality locks, consider bike marking, and report all thefts to the police.”

Despite Worcester having the worst figures in the region, the picture in the West Midlands is improving, with the number of thefts reported falling in the last few years.

Across the country as a whole, the West Midlands is below the rate of the safest region, the North West (55 in 100,000) but a long way ahead of Greater London (492 per 100,000).

Despite a number of statistics showing dramatic rises in bike theft towards the start of the year, the full 2020 data showed that the total number of bikes reported stolen to Police in England and Wales was actually lower than the previous three years.

The specialist cycling insurer Bikmo has unveiled a brand new bike theft tracking tool for public use.

Available to all for free, riders across the country can now view reported thefts on an interactive heatmap.

Showing incident rates across England and Wales - taken from publicly available Police data - London’s financial centre, the City of London, came out on top as the worst area for bike theft.

Figures for the whole of 2020 also showed a dip in thefts compared to previous years, despite reports of huge spikes in the first half of the year.  

Bikmo’s new heatmap shows bike thefts in England and Wales for the whole of 2020.

Overlaying this with population data, areas are then given a rate of theft per 100,000 residents.

Showing a live table of the worst and safest areas for bike theft, cyclists can now view theft trends in their local areas and identify hotspots of reported incidents.

Helping riders to make more informed choices about where to safely lock their bikes, the new tool aims to reduce overall theft; something which is of increasing concern to new and returning riders during the Pandemic.

For more information and to see the full data for the UK, go to bikmo.com/uk/