Cardiff Business Improvement District introduces new measures to remove abandoned bicycles
The Cardiff Business Improvement District (BID) has today announced a new project in partnership with Cardiff City Council and South Wales Police to combat bike theft in Cardiff by issuing the removal of abandoned bicycles occupying the racks in the city, ahead of the Tour of Britain cycle race.
The Tour travels from Worcester to Cardiff on September 8th, bringing with it thousands of cycling fans, many of whom will travel to the city on bike. The BID has vowed to ensure the city is prepared to accommodate the needs of these visitors, identifying and removing abandoned bikes by the 1st of
September.
The issue was raised via an online survey distributed to business owners by Cardiff BID and in their conversations with the Street Ambassadors. They noticed the bikes had been left for extended periods of time and are often in states of disrepair.
The abandoned bikes make the racks susceptible to theft and create storage problems for Cardiff’s residents, discouraging them from parking their bikes in them or even from cycling into the city at all.
As part of their day to day work, the Cardiff Street Ambassadors are recording abandoned bikes and passing the information on to police.
The BID will then carry out the removals and donate the bicycles to Cardiff Cycle Workshop, a bike refurbishing scheme which has put 1,500 bikes back on the road.
Executive Director of Cardiff BID, Adrian Field said: “The BID is committed to keeping the residents and business owners of Cardiff and their property safe and secure.
“With so many cycling fans travelling to Cardiff for the Tour of Britain it is essential we have the right procedures in place to protect their property and make the city a welcoming place to cycle.”
If you see a bike in Cardiff you think may be abandoned, get in touch with the Street Ambassadors on Ambassadors@cardiffbid.com & 07983 311723.
-ENDS-
For more information, please contact:
Vicki Spencer-Francis / Hollie Jones, Cowshed
vicki@wearecowshed.co.uk / hollie@wearecowshed.co.uk
02920 789321
Notes to Editors:
About Cardiff Business Improvement District
After a month-long postal ballot, Cardiff Business Improvement District (BID) was voted in, in July 2016. The BID area covers 130 streets across Cardiff and is now one of the largest in the UK based on numbers.
Over its five-year term, Cardiff BID will raise over £1.5m revenue each year to spend on the things that businesses (retail, leisure, tourism, office and commercial) voted for in the business plan. For more information on Cardiff BID’s five-year plan, read the full strategy or review the Cardiff BID
Factsheet.
What is a Business Improvement District (BID)?
BIDs are an arrangement whereby businesses come together and decide which improvements they feel could be made in their city centre, also how they will implement these improvements and what it will cost them. BIDs are financed and controlled by the businesses within the selected area. BIDs can run for a maximum of five years and during this time they must be able to show that they are benefitting the businesses that fund it.
BIDs are an opportunity for business to come together, decide what additional improvements they want to make to their location, how they are going to manage and deliver those improvements, and what they are prepared to pay for them.