With York open again to tourists, a local security contractor whose employees accredited with some police powers are working alongside North Yorkshire Police officers to act against cyclists who ride on pavements in the city centre.
There had been many reports of ‘near misses’ and cyclists ‘racing’ in pedestrian-only designated areas as local shoppers and visitors returned after non-essential retail outlets reopened on June 15, as the COVID-19 lockdown was eased. In the lockdown weeks, a prohibition on cycling through York’s footstreets were not enforced to encourage people to exercise and to help with food deliveries.
Hence York Business Improvement District (BID) sought to tackle the problem to make the shopping streets safer for pedestrians. A York-based security company, Eboracum has officers working as Street Rangers on behalf of the BID. The Street Rangers have been joined by regular police officers, police community support officers (PCSOs) and council enforcement officers.
The first phase of operation involved cyclists being stopped to enable the rules to be explained. Now follow-up operations are being held at different times over the day without notice to see that cyclists ride within the rules, or face a fine.
Carl Alsop, BID operations manager, recalled complaints from businesses, the public and city centre hosts, about cycling in pedestrian areas. “Now those streets are busy again with residents, visitors and families, the problem has become more urgent.”
The BID has increased city centre bike storage by about ten per cent. Carl added: “However, for the good of all those who work, shop and socialise in York city centre, we need to make it clear to the small minority of riders who ignore the rules that their anti-social behaviour isn’t acceptable,” added Carl.
During lockdown, Street Rangers were on daily patrols including with police to cover around 200 businesses that wanted to ensure their empty premises were protected. This service was extended with the Street Rangers adapting their established night-time bicycle patrols with police to deter burglars. Rangers locked and unlocked gates and carried out patrols at the Museum Gardens, Yorkshire Museum and York Observatory at the request of the York Museums Trust.
Since the Street Rangers were launched in 2016, they have helped to detect and deter thousands of crimes as well as support city businesses, provided support and reassurance to local residents and acted as city ambassadors to tourists every year.
Eboracum Managing Director, Carl Nickson, said: “Our Street Rangers are working closely with our partner organisations to help make York City Centre a safe place for residents, tourists and local businesses.”
The BID also in midsummer launched volunteer York City Hosts to act as ambassadors.
Eboracum’s employees have been accredited with some powers by the Chief Constable of North Yorkshire under the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS). That’s a voluntary scheme covering England and Wales, as contained in Section 40 of the Police Reform Act 2002.
Background
The role of assessing private sector companies seeking approval to run a CSAS scheme is carried out on behalf of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) by Police Crime Prevention Initiatives (PCPI), a police-owned company that works on behalf of UK police. PCPI carries out checks to see whether companies are ‘fit and proper’ to exercise CSAS powers and then makes recommendations to chief constables in the area the scheme will operate. Chief Constables decide whether to accredit employed people already working in roles that contribute to maintaining and improving community safety with limited but targeted powers. PCPI has assessed more than 120 private sector companies seeking to run a CSAS.
