A PARTNERSHIP between 19 organisations has been launched to tackle cycle crime in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.

Organisations taking part in the initiative include South Wales Police, Cardiff Council, Welsh Government, Vale of Glamorgan Council, and bike share operator nextbike.

The partnership, called Cardiff Cycle Crime Reduction Partnership (CCCRP), will follow a model that has been implemented in other UK cities, including Newport.

Gwent Police found that after implementing the programme in March 2021, there was a 29 per cent reduction in cycle theft from November 2020 to November 2021.

Using techniques such as trap bikes and marking bikes with Smartwater, Gwent Police has caught several offenders and have prevented bikes from being stolen.

The partnership is seen as necessary in Cardiff after nextbike removed its fleet of OVO Bikes from the streets of the city and in the Vale of Glamorgan after sustained bouts of vandalism and theft.

The Cardiff CCRP met for the first time earlier this month and partners will meet regularly to discuss ways to reduce cycle crime, such as marking bikes with Smartwater and putting trackers on personal bikes.

Mark Cleland, British Transport Police Superintendent and lead on cycle crime in the UK said: "Cycling is good for the environment and our health, but cycle crime has the potential to impact on that and so to ensure we can encourage people to cycle, we need to tackle those who feel they can vandalise and steal bikes across the UK. 

"The Cardiff Cycle Crime Reduction Partnership means that everyone with an interest in tackling crime works together to be proactive in targeting criminality while educating cyclists on good security whether at home or elsewhere."

Nextbike UK managing director Krysia Solheim said the new partnership was a positive step forward for cycling in the area.

Ms Solheim said: "We see the CCCRP as an important part of the solution to the problems we - and other bicycle owners in the area - have been facing across Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.

"We completely support Cardiff’s ambition to become one of the UK’s best cycling cities and we’re determined not to let the small minority of people ruin it by stealing and vandalising bikes.

"While the crimes may seem petty to some, the impact can be significant.

"Bike share - and cycling in general - provides a low emissions, healthy and affordable way to get around Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan and we know that the withdrawal of our schemes has had a huge effect on our customers.

"We can’t wait to relaunch our OVO Bikes scheme in the New Year - and hopefully thanks to this new partnership, alongside other measures we will be introducing, we won’t see a repeat of the behaviour we have witnessed over the last few months."

A survey has been launched until January 10 get the opinions of residents in the Vale of Glamorgan and Cardiff on the topic.

To take part in the survey, click here.

To contact South Wales Police to report an incident bike theft or vandalism, send a private message on Facebook or Twitter, email SWP101@south-wales.police.uk, call 101 or go to https://bit.ly/SWPReportOnline.