Cyclists in Regent’s Park are being attacked by gangs of thieves who forcibly remove them from their bikes, they say - and police won’t do anything early in the morning.
Cyclists in the central London park are being attacked by balaclava-clad men on motorbikes in the darkness - leaving many now terrified to go out.
Regent’s Park is closed to cars from 5.45-7.45am, which previously made it a haven for biking clubs, of which there are now over 30.
But in recent years, bike thieves have started operating at this time, when it is still dark and cyclists are easier to prey upon.
In the year to December 2023, some 768 violent attacks on cyclists were recorded each week across London - the equivalent of 15 such assaults every week.
Officers don’t start patrolling the park until 8am and are said to have told cyclists that they cannot start any earlier.
Sean Epstein, of the Regent’s Park Cyclists group, said: "What is special about Regent’s Park is that it’s shut to cars in the morning. There are main through roads [to the park] in the mornings.
"Mopeds just stand and wait - two people on a moped or motorbike - plates removed, with masks or balaclavas.
’Most robbers kick riders off their bikes while they’re riding and wrestle their bikes off them.’ Last winter the robberies kept increasing.
"Our clubs were getting hit on a weekly basis.
"It’s always the same method and the same response from the police: treating it like stolen property, shrugging and saying, "Sorry, we’ve got no leads.. You should get insurance".
"It has led to a general fear and inability for people to feel safe."
Last month LBC’s Johnny Jenkins recounted how he had been attacked by ’bikejackers’ in the park.
"Two masked thugs on electric bikes approached me, demanding I hand over my bike," he wrote.
"I let out a piercing scream – I couldn’t believe this was happening. It felt like I’d been thrown into a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from."
Police were no use and so he was left over £1,000 out of pocket because of the stolen bike.
Another cyclist told of how he was attacked by men on a moped.
I was meeting some friends in the park and was a bit early so did a lap by myself," he told The Times.
"A moped pulled up with two men on and one started looking at the brand. I knew I was in trouble so turned around and so did they. They told me to "get off the f***ing bike"
"Someone called the police and they were there in about five minutes. They said it was the third or fourth call that morning.
"Cyclists are really scared."
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