Dublin bicycle users warned: “Spend on a bike lock” or “pay the price”

— NTA funding secure off-street parking
— 4,950 bikes reported stolen in Dublin in 2014, up from 1,873 in 2008
— 66% of bikes stolen in Dublin are locked using easy-to-cut locks

A Bike Theft Working Group set up in Dublin has a stark warning for those who cycle in the city: spend money on a bicycle lock and lock your bicycle at home or “pay the price” — a warning which is backed by a Dublin Cycling Campaign survey which found 66% of bicycles stolen were using “easy-to-cut” locks.

A campaign to tackle bicycle theft was launched this morning, it centres on this poster:

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Sketch Dublin Cycling Campaign v2.8 (1)

The working group, set up earlier this year to tackle the issue of bike theft in Dublin, has representatives from Dublin City Council, An Garda Siochana, the National Transport Authority (NTA), Dublin Cycling Campaign, and bicycle shops.

Launching the bike security campaign this morning, Dublin City Council’s lord mayor Críona Ní Dhálaigh, said, “The aim of the campaign is to raise awareness of the issue of bike theft and alert cyclists to the need to use higher quality locks. It is vital that cycling is supported and encouraged in the city and a big part of this is to reduce bike theft.”

The NTA representative on the group, Cormac Ross, said: “The use of higher quality locks by cyclists is likely to result in the most significant positive impact on theft numbers in the short term, and this initiative is focused on the delivery of that key message. The NTA will be communicating this message and poster nationally through our Smarter Travel and Green Schools Programme, complementing an earlier NTA bicycle parking awareness initiative.”

He said that the NTA recently funded a Bicycle Parking Study for the Dublin City Council area and, from that, the authority is funding measures recommended in that study, including an increase in on-street cycle parking and the development and expansion of secure off-street cycle parking “at Drury Street and elsewhere”.

David Timoney from the Dublin Cycling Campaign said, “The evidence from our survey as well as surveys in the UK shows that there is a strong link between bike theft and cycling numbers. If we are serious about achieving the targets for cycling modal share in Dublin, bike theft is one of the areas that needs to be tackled.”

Chairman of group and the council’s traffic and transport committee, Councillor Ciaran Cuffe, said, “London and Amsterdam in particular have had great success in reducing bike theft in recent years and with all stakeholders working together through this Bike Theft Group we aim to achieve the same in Dublin.”

Garda Inspector Liam Geraghty said, “An Garda Síochána supports the continued increase in bicycle use in Dublin City. Targeting bike theft is a three prong approach: education, engineering and enforcement. This poster campaign will inform bicycle users on crime prevention through the need to invest in high quality locks and how to lock their bicycle securely at all times.”

He added: “The NTA and Dublin City Council are examining ways of improving bicycle parking facilities in the city. We in An Garda Síochána continue to focus on bicycle theft with targeted intelligence led and modern enforcement activity.”

The Bike Theft Working Group advises the following:

  • Use U-locks with the Sold Secure accreditation, silver or gold standard
  • Lock your bike at home – more bikes are being stolen from gardens and sheds
  • Record your serial number and take a selfie/photo of you with bike
  • Don’t buy a bike you think might have been stolen – ask for a receipt
  • Always report a stolen bike and give the serial number and photo to gardai
  • You can report theft up to value of €500 online at garda.ie

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