CCTV Operators Vow to Report Bike Thefts at West Midlands Transport Hubs
CCTV operators in the West Midlands have issued strong reassurances to cyclists who leave their bikes at bus and rail stations, confirming they will continue to report thefts directly to the police. This commitment comes in response to growing concerns from transport authorities about a noticeable decline in the number of people using cycle parking facilities at key transport hubs across the region.
Drop in Cycle Parking Numbers Raises Alarms
Data reveals a significant decrease in cycle parking counts at bus and rail stations, falling from 785 during Quarter Three (October, November, December) of the 2024/25 period to just 629 in the same timeframe for 2025/26. Members of the West Midlands Combined Authority's Transport Delivery Overview and Scrutiny Committee have expressed worries that this drop may be linked to fears over bike security, particularly following a controversial policy announcement in 2025.
At that time, the British Transport Police had initially stated they would not investigate thefts of bicycles parked for more than two hours, a move that sparked a public backlash. However, earlier this year, the force reversed this policy, now committing to investigate cases where the bike is identifiable via CCTV or if there is a witness to the crime.
Proactive Monitoring and Police Collaboration
Kerry Blakeman, Head of Security & Policing for Transport for West Midlands, addressed the committee, highlighting the extensive CCTV investment and active monitoring efforts. "We have significant investment in CCTV. Every month we are capturing 600 incidents, 47 per cent of those are captured by my team in terms of active monitoring," he stated.
Blakeman emphasized a clear and proactive stance: "My stance is absolutely clear. Where we spot individuals acting suspiciously in any of our cycle hubs, we contact the police. We have the ability to speak to them via police radio and also have the ability to be able to drop images live into their control room."
He further explained, "For me, if there is a crime in action we will do that and communicate with the police. We're here to try to prevent and detect crime and we're supporting the police in the delivery of that. Why wouldn't you take an active response to stopping criminals in their tracks? Where we have active CCTV we will continue to proactively monitor those stations for people who are about to commit crime."
24/7 Surveillance and Evidence Support
The CCTV control room operates around the clock, 365 days a year, with teams dedicated to narrowing down footage to provide clear evidence for police investigations. "We will do the majority of that viewing and we will narrow down the footage to literally, 'there you go, there's your snapshot of the bike before, there's the person stealing it'," Blakeman added.
In January, BTP Assistant Chief Constable Ian Drummond-Smith reinforced this collaborative approach, stating, "Rail passengers whose bikes are stolen rightly expect a thorough police investigation to trace offenders and reunite them with their property, and we are committed to bringing more bike thieves to justice in 2026 than ever before."
He detailed the updated policy: "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."
This renewed focus on security and investigation aims to restore confidence among cyclists, encouraging them to continue using transport hub facilities without fear of theft. The combined efforts of CCTV operators and police are set to enhance safety and deter criminal activity across the West Midlands' public transport network.
