'It's a real win for everyone' – British police force U-turns on policy that effectively decriminalised bike theft

British Transport Police has reversed a policy that meant thefts of bikes locked up for more than two hours were not investigated. The new strategy, introduced in October, caused widespread uproar and also stated that bikes worth less than £200 would not be investigated.

It has been welcomed by campaign charity Cycling UK, which called BTP's U-turn – brought quietly into policy on January 5 but announced this week – as a "real win for everyone".

The reversal had come following a 'recent refresh', said BTP Assistant Chief Constable Ian Drummond-Smith in a statement.

“Rail passengers whose bikes are stolen rightly expect a thorough police investigation to trace offenders and reunite them with their property…" he said.

“To further improve our service to victims, and following an internal review, we have recently refreshed our Crime Screening Policy.

“Under this updated Policy, our officers will investigate more reports and explore all viable lines of enquiry if a bike is identifiable on CCTV, or if there is a witness to the crime."

CUK was among those who brought pressure to bear on BTP back in October, publishing an open letter highlighting the policy's contradiction of government policy to integrate public transport with cycling, and how it disproportionately affected, and saying it would increase crime and put people off riding a bike.

As well as CUK, the strategy was criticised by MPs, with members of the Shadow Cabinet and also Liberal Democrat front benchers all weighing in, as well as one of Labour's own, Fabian Hamilton, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Cycling and Walking.

The BTP policy effectively decriminalised bike theft, it was argued, considering how often people leave their bikes at rail stations for more than two hours – for example, on the daily commute to work.

CUK's head of campaigns, Duncan Dollimore, said in a statement that the revised policy was "a real win for everyone who uses our transport network. Our approach to tackling this decision was always about fairness and common sense. From the moment we found out about the policy, our members and supporters were clear that it sent the wrong message about whose journeys matter.

He added: “When more people feel confident cycling to stations, it reduces congestion on our roads, eases pressure on parking and public transport and supports a more efficient economy overall. It also gives people real choice in how they travel, particularly at a time when many people are experiencing a cost-of-living crisis. We're delighted that British Transport Police listened, engaged with us, recognised that supporting cycling supports the wider public good, and changed their policy.”