London Assembly Members on November 9 called for cash payments for scrap metal to be outlawed – alongside the introduction of tougher penalties for metal and cable theft – to help end the increasing disruption and distress thieves are causing….
In a motion agreed unanimously, Members urged the Chair of the Assembly and the Mayor of London to jointly write to the Government to push for more regulations for scrap metal buyers, and new legislation giving police and courts more powers to investigate and punish metal thieves.
Caroline Pidgeon AM, who proposed the motion, said: "The theft of metal is costing the economy around a billion pounds and causing serious disruption to passengers – and it’s getting worse.
"People were stuck on the Metropolitan line for four hours in September after cabling was stolen, and another theft outside Enfield caused severe delays to passengers coming in and out of Liverpool Street, as well as a trackside fire. Without new legislation and tighter regulation of scrap merchants, incidents like this will become increasingly common."
Val Shawcross AM, who seconded the motion, said: "These thefts are the result of a large-scale organised gang operation which would be scuppered if scrap metal merchants were banned from handling cash – it’s that simple.
"I urge the Government to urgently introduce regulations for the buying of scrap metal, along with new legislation to give the authorities the power to punish these criminals who are making a fortune out of damaging our infrastructure."
Tony Arbour, who amended the motion, said: "Metal theft has become the scourge of London and the problem goes far beyond the theft of cabling from rail lines. Anything that features metal or cabling is now a target, including public buildings, phone lines, churches, schools and, perhaps most distressingly, our war memorials.
"It is estimated that one memorial or monument is vandalised every week. As I have called for previously, The full text of the motion agreed at today’s meeting reads as follows:
"This Assembly notes with concern the increasing prevalence of the theft of scrap metal and cabling which has caused major disruption to the rail network in recent weeks, both in London and nationwide.
This Assembly notes the review into London’s war memorials, carried out under the rapporteurship of Tony Arbour in 2009. With the War Memorials Trust estimating that one monument is vandalised every week, this Assembly believes it is important that the recommendations in ‘Not forgotten: a review of London’s war memorials’ are implemented as a matter of urgency. In particular, this Assembly calls on boroughs to develop a full inventory of war memorials, and to ensure that the protection and preservation of London’s memorials are a material consideration in borough planning policies.
This Assembly also notes the damaging impact of metal theft on public buildings in London. Churches, schools and libraries across the capital have all been affected, leading to thousands of pounds worth of damage. This includes Sutton High School for Girls and the Honeywood Museum in Carshalton, which both suffered the loss of £10,000 worth of lead, whilst lead was also stolen from the roof of Croydon Parish Church resulting in extensive damage.
This Assembly further notes that cable thefts have resulted in an increasing number of phone and broadband outages in London and across the country. In 2011, British Telecom has already recorded a greater than 100% rise in the number of cable thefts affecting phone and Internet services. This includes a recent incident in October 2011 when copper cabling was stolen in East Barnet, resulting in up to three hundred homes being without telephone or internet for days.
Considering the serious disruption to residents and businesses caused by the theft of phone and broadband cables, this Assembly calls on telecoms operators to improve the security of their cabling and exchanges in order to reduce the incidences of cable theft.
One recent incident caused severe disruption to Jubilee and Metropolitan line passengers, following the attempted theft of cabling from the tracks near Northwick Park. According to the British Transport Police in 2010/11 there were 123 crimes reported of theft of live and redundant cable on the London Underground alone. In the UK as a whole the estimated cost of cable theft from the railways has been estimated at £1billion by government.
Given the serious impact on London’s economy and to Londoners, this Assembly therefore calls on the Mayor of London and Chair of the London Assembly to jointly write to Government calling for the introduction of regulations on the buying of scrap metal including provisions to make it illegal to make cash payments for scrap metal. The Assembly also calls for the introduction of legislation to protect the London and UK economy from the theft of scrap metal and cabling, with greater powers for the police and courts, including the investigation of suspicious activities and a greater enforcement of the proceeds of crime provisions."
