Fallowfields named as bike theft hotspot.

News | 1st December 2023

By Martha Norris

A report by Greater Manchester Police has revealed that bike thefts in the city are three times higher than 2021 with Fallowfield being the worst area.

An area known for being a vibrant student hub and busy nightlife this area of Manchester is also becoming known for its high-volume bike thefts with few convictions for bike crime.

Jacob, a student in Fallowfield commented “I had my bike stolen from the communal bike shed. We had the police come over and report it but they even said the likelihood of being able to find it again is very slim”.

“It makes me feel like there is no point reporting it as the police can’t do anything”
Jacob, student of MMU

1 bike is stolen every 7 minutes in the UK.

This is a very similar story to many of those who have had a bike stolen and the police have little power to resolve the crime.

In another survey from BestBikeLocks.com 77,148 bikes were stolen in 2022/2023, this is a crime within the UK that is a big issue without much priority from authorities to help prevent the crime.

The Bestbikelock.com survey shows reporting a bike theft to the police makes little difference to the chance of getting your bike back. *Credit: Carl Ellis*

A frequent scene for many biker users who have to park their bikes in vulnerable places due to bike racks being less available. *Credit: Martha Norris*

Manchester’s cycling future at risk.

Greater Manchester Police said; “An additional 264 warranted police officers posted to neighborhood teams across Greater Manchester, there will be a much greater focus on officers and partner agencies working together in communities to fight crime and solve local problems”.

Manchester could be seen as the new ‘cycle capital’, for Mancurnians the gap between funding for the new infrastructure and not repairing the old issues of bike crime still remains. Manchester has added a new bid to become ‘Europe’s capital city of cycling’ and could see new protected cycle lanes, bike libraries, and training courses for new cyclists to make cycling accessible for more people. The future of cycling in the city aims to provide people with a healthier lifestyle of traveling the city for shorter journeys and reducing emissions by 2028.