The High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire is being supported by the Mayor of Milton Keynes following her pledge to act against the theft of bikes from MK Central Station.
When Phil Berry, 46, from Newport Pagnell, locked his bicycle to the bike parking racks at Station Square, Elder Gate, to get the train to work, he didn’t expect to come back and find the rack cut through and his bicycle gone, along with his D-lock.
Phil said, “At first, I felt panic, I didn’t know what to do but made my way home okay. Then I immediately went back to take a photo and report it to the police. Two days later, I got an automated message saying sorry, there’s nothing they can do about it. Now I’ve gone back to getting lifts to the station. “
Phil is not the only one who has had their bicycle stolen from the racking outside the Station. Research conducted in 2016 found that Milton Keynes Central was named the worst place in Britain to leave a bike.
Phil continued, “It’s really put me off, I don’t feel motivated to get a new bike, even a £25 bone shaker because it seems they’ll steal any bike.”
Kurshida Mirza, High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire, has pledged action to tackle the issue by organising a meeting between Thames Valley Police and Cycling Citizens MK alliance. She made the pledge before setting off with more than 80 cyclists on a Unity ride through Central Milton Keynes, led by the Mayor of MK, Marie Bradburn.
Mayor Bradburn said, “During my Year of Cycling, it’s important we tackle all the issues which are putting people off cycling in MK. It’s unfair that MK residents are routinely being stolen from and nothing is done to prevent it. As first citizen of MK, I’m not going to stand by. I pledge to help the High Sheriff by involving the Council as well as the police in putting a stop to the bike thefts from Station Square.”
