Great Western Coffee Shop

British Transport Police (BTP) officers will be holding a series of cycle surgeries at rail stations across Berkshire next week, offering safety advice and tagging commuters^ bikes.

The surgeries, which take place at Newbury, Twyford, Reading and Cholsey stations, will be a chance for passengers to ensure they have their bikes securely marked.

PC Martin Coulstock, based at BTP^s Reading station, said: ^There will be officers at the stations handing out free security marking devices and offering passengers advice on how to keep their bikes safe. We will also be registering passengers^ bikes to an online database and engraving the property with the owner^s postcode.^

Officers will be on hand checking bike racks and leaving crime prevention advice for those owners who fail to adequately lock and secure their pedal cycles.

PC Coulstock added: "A difficulty we face is that many people who ride bikes leave them at railway stations for very long periods of time, with some even owning two bikes and leaving them locked up at stations overnight.

"Because of this, it's more important than ever for us to ensure that cycle owners are educated and informed about how best to protect themselves from thieves.

"There are several steps people can take to help reduce the risk of becoming a victim of bike theft.

"The best thing to remember is to register your bike and also to ensure two solid locks are used to secure both the frame and the wheels to the stand. If a bike is adequately marked, it makes it much easier to identify and therefore reduces its desirability to thieves."

First Great Western spokesperson said: "It's great to see how many people cycle to our stations, but it's a sad reality that sometimes unattended bicycles can attract the attention of thieves.

^We strongly encourage any cyclists who use our Berkshire stations to visit these BTP cycle surgeries and take advantage of the free tagging and safety advice."

The surgeries take place between 3pm and 8pm on the following days:

Monday, 23 April ^ Newbury rail station

Tuesday, 24 April ^ Twyford rail station

Wednesday, 25 April ^ Reading rail station

Thursday, 26 April ^ Cholsey rail station

TIPS TO ENSURE YOUR BICYCLE REMAINS SAFE AND SECURE:

Bicycles are a popular target for thieves. Here are some simple tips to ensure your cycle remains secure:

^ Always lock your bicycle whenever you leave it at a designated cycle rack area. Lock the frame and both wheels to a cycle stand.

^ Consider using more than one lock to secure your bike and ensure that you use a recognised security standard lock. D-locks, extension cable or heavy chain locks are certified locking mechanisms. It is important to ensure that yours are up to date.

^ Make the lock(s) and bike hard to manoeuvre when parked by ensuring little room between the stand and the bike.

^ Do not allow your lock(s) to come into contact with the ground, where they are viewed as more vulnerable.

^ Take a photograph of your bike and record your frame number and key details. This will be crucial in recovering your bike if it is stolen.

^ Mark your frame with your postcode in two separate locations, one of which should be hidden. Attach a ^Coded Cycle^ label to reduce the risk of making your bike a target for theft.

^ Do not ride with valuables in open baskets or panniers.

^ Register your bicycle at www.immobilise.com or www.bikeregister.com