City needs safe bike storage to foil thieves

A FEW days ago I opined on social media that I wouldn’t take my bike into Salisbury unless there was safe, supervised parking for it.

I didn’t necessarily mean it had to be manned, but certainly it would need to be monitored by cameras.

I said cycle theft was rife, and had been for years. (Quite apart from the fact that I’m a very wobbly rider and I don’t want to get ticked off for hogging the pavement!)

I was responding to campaigners who are understandably keen, as I am, to see more cycle paths created to encourage residents to leave their cars at home.

Their response online was that my concerns were exaggerated and unjustified and I should just invest in a lock and all would be well.

Yet days later on the Salisbury Journal website there’s a warning from the police about a spate of thefts involving bolt croppers being used to cut through cable locks.

They say we should be buying ‘D’ locks instead, because they’re a safer bet. Obviously they’re tougher, and opportunist crooks will opt for easier targets. But they won’t deter the determined.

I’m very glad officers are working with our CCTV volunteers to trace the parasites involved, but even if they catch them I don’t believe the courts will impose truly deterrent sentences.

I happen to have a sentimental attachment to my old bike.

So for the time being, it’s not going out.