Open letter: BTP policy will increase crime and put people off cycling

Chief Constable Lucy D’Orsi
Cc. Deputy Chief Constable Alistair Sutherland

10 October 2025

Dear Chief Constable

I am writing to you on behalf of Cycling UK, the national cycling charity, concerning British Transport Police’s (BTP) crime screening policy. As a charity with a mission to enable and inspire people from all backgrounds and abilities to cycle, we are extremely concerned about the aspects of this policy pertaining to the investigation of cycle theft at stations.

We understand that BTP now treats cycle theft as non-priority ‘volume crime’ and will therefore not investigate, or even consider viewing CCTV footage, if a cycle has been left at a station for more than two hours. We object strongly to this policy where the police refuse to act even when evidence is readily available.

We also understand that BTP will not investigate where the value of the cycle stolen is less than £200. This will disproportionately impact people on lower incomes who commute to and from train stations, and for whom a bike is more affordable than a car. They are also more likely to lack the means to replace a stolen bike.

Multiple government strategies promote the integration of public transport with journeys by bike. Secure cycle parking at train stations is central to those strategies, which train operating companies, the Great British Railways transition team and Network Rail have all consistently supported.

Almost everyone who parks their cycle at a train station will leave it there for more than two hours, so at a stroke this policy will result in most cycle thefts at stations not being investigated. That sends a message to criminals that cycle theft at stations is a low risk but high reward crime.

It is also likely to deter people from cycling to train stations, because we know that the lack of secure cycle parking is a substantial barrier to cycling. Accordingly, this policy is likely to increase crime, decrease the number of people commuting by bike to stations, and potentially reduce rail passenger numbers.

We therefore urge you to review this policy. We would also be delighted to meet with you or other senior colleagues to discuss BTP’s approach to policing bike theft if that would assist.

I look forward to hearing from you in due course.

Yours sincerely

Sarah McMonagle

Director of External Affairs

Cycling UK