Cycle crime doesn’t just affect bike share, but the whole cycling community.
At the end of 2021, an unprecedented wave of vandalism hit the OVO Bikes network, forcing it to be suspended for repair. This unfortunate but necessary step meant that up until the relaunch in January 2022, there were no longer bikes available for many in the community who depend on bike share to get to work, school, and beyond. We want to ensure this never has to happen again. If you want to read more about the closure or what security measures we have in place, click here.
To help get to the root of the all-too-common problem of cycle crime, we've launched the Cardiff Cycle Crime Reduction Partnership (CCCRP) with local Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan organisations. Together, we don’t just want to reduce bike share crime, but we want to help create a safe and inviting cycling environment for everyone in the region.
Here we will highlight the initiatives put in motion by this partnership, the partners involved, and how you can help.
Taking on cycle crime is more than a full-time job, it’s also a team effort. Here are a few easy things you can do to start reducing cycle crime:
Report a stray OVO Bike when you see it directly in the app, or using the button below this list.
Return standard OVO Bikes to standard stations and OVO e-bikes to an e-bike station, and ensure the locks are closed properly.
In the case of personal bike theft or if you see a cycle crime taking place, contact the police right away by calling 101.
Always lock your personal bike properly with a quality lock.
Let people know how important cycling is in your life – it might just change someone’s mind about damaging a bike.
The root causes of cycle crime aren't easy to solve, which is why we are using multiple strategies to address them. Below you’ll find a list of the Partnership’s initiatives, which we’ll keep up to date as new projects develop.
Every Saturday from February 12th to March 5th, we supported Cardiff Council with a string of Cycle Ready for Spring events, hosted at a different location in Cardiff. The events included getting your bike a security tag from the police, learning about bike maintenance, or just connecting with the community of cyclists. To learn more, click here.
Being present and active is essential to deter cycle crime. Our service team and officers of the South Wales Police are conducting regular joint patrols around Cardiff to help keep bike share safe. You can check out how we're working with South Wales Police during ITV's Catch up with Wales at Six, skip in to 10:37 to see the action.
On the 22nd of March, we supported Women Connect First host a free cycling event by delivering OVO Bikes and a virtual station to the area, allowing attendees free usage of the system during the event. The event aims to encourage women who are new to cycling and want to develop their skills or try traffic free cycling.
More initiatives are underway. Stay tuned!
Not only OVO Bikes have been affected by vandalism and theft against bikes across the city, but commuters, students, parents, and more. To find out how Cardiff and the Vale have been impacted, and how best to help, we surveyed close to 1000 locals to get their opinions on cycle crime in their area.
Your insights showed that we have room to make things better together.
Looking to help reduce cycle crime in Cardiff and the Vale? Great, welcome to the team! Get involved and lend a hand with these wonderful groups that work to support biking in the region. We’ll also post any chances to support our initiatives here.
This charity helps Black & minority ethnic women in Cardiff by offering a range of services in order to improve their livelihoods and employability, including bike workshops.
Oasis Cardiff is a centre for asylum seekers and refugees. It gives people a supportive space and projects to help them begin integration and learn to live in Cardiff.
Cardiff Youth Services work with young people aged 11-25 to develop personal, social and educational skills through a variety of opportunities such as bike maintenance courses.