Research finds drivers in London are most likely to have their car stolen with Merseyside in 17th place

RESEARCH has revealed that out of the whole of England and Wales, London is the place where people are most likely to have their cars stolen. The study, conducted by  A-Plan Insurance, was carried out by assessing Home Office data of vehicle thefts in each Police Force Area and determining the rate according to the number of thefts per household.

With 100,185 cars stolen in London in 2021, England's capital had 11.1. vehicle thefts per thousand households. This puts it first for the area where drivers are most likely to be the victims of vehicle theft.

The West Midlands comes second for its vehicle crime rate, with 10.4 vehicle thefts per thousand households (30,608 cars stolen in 2021), while Greater Manchester had 9 cars stolen per thousand households (25,495 vehicle thefts), making it the third most dangerous place to own a car.

At the other end of the scale, Dyfed-Powys, in Wales, is the place where drivers can be most confident their car won't get stolen, with 623 vehicle thefts in 2021. This means just 1.2 cars were stolen per thousand households.

Cumbria and North Yorkshire are also some of the least likely areas for vehicle theft, with 727 and 1,433 cars stolen respectively in 2021. That's 1.5 vehicle thefts per thousand households in Cumbria and 1.7 in North Yorkshire.

The research also analysed data from 2020, to determine whether vehicle thefts have increased or decreased in each Police Force Area since last year, finding that although London is still the worst place for vehicle theft, the crime rate is improving. Compared to 2020, car thefts in the capital are down by 9%, however, it's a different story in the West Midlands, with 12% more vehicles stolen in 2021.

Greater Manchester also saw an increase of 5% on last year, but Hampshire is the area where vehicle theft has increased the most, with 22% more cars stolen in 2021 than in 2020.

Gloucestershire has seen the biggest improvement when it comes to the number of cars stolen in the area, with nearly a 33.33% fewer thefts in 2021, compared to 2020.

The full results of the research are as follows:-

Police Force

Household figures rounded to 100 (Mid-2020)

Vehicle thefts per 1,000 households. (Year ending Dec 2021)

Total vehicle thefts. (Year ending Dec 2021)

Percentage change in vehicle thefts - 2020 to 202

London (Metropolitan Police and City of London)

3,543,000

11.1

100,185

-9

West Midlands

1,148,800

10.4

30,608

12

Greater Manchester

1,190,500

9

25,495

5

South Yorkshire

599,500

7.5

10,572

-4

Bedfordshire

267,900

6.9

4,704

-17

West Yorkshire

964,400

6.1

14,358

-4

Hertfordshire

485,400

6

7,180

0

Essex

768,400

5.9

10,896

-6

Warwickshire

247,600

5.4

3,167

-18

Cleveland

245,100

5.2

2,989

1

Thames Valley

964,200

4.9

12,000

-18

Hampshire

839,500

4.9

9,760

22

Nottinghamshire

489,000

4.9

5,714

-12

Avon and Somerset

737,300

4.9

8,407

-4

Leicestershire

438,800

4.8

5,330

-20

Dorset

344,100

4.8

3,718

-4

Merseyside

632,500

4.7

6,726

-1

Cambridgeshire

345,600

4.7

4,028

-8

Northamptonshire

316,900

4.6

3,512

-25

Surrey

474,900

4.6

5,545

-7

Kent

778,300

4.6

8,508

-14

Lancashire

643,600

4.4

6,735

-1

South Wales

582,100

4.2

5,610

-14

Northumbria

648,200

4.1

6,082

-15

Derbyshire

461,800

4

4,229

0

Sussex

750,100

3.8

6,522

-3

Gwent

256,700

3.7

2,242

-9

Staffordshire

488,600

3.6

4,079

-8

Durham

283,900

3.4

2,150

-16

Humberside

407,600

3.3

3,052

-20

West Mercia

556,600

3.1

3,977

5

Gloucestershire

275,200

2.9

1,838

-31

Suffolk

330,800

2.9

2,178

-18

Lincolnshire

332,400

2.8

2,144

-10

Wiltshire

309,700

2.7

1,947

-14

Cheshire

467,300

2.4

2,604

-1

Devon and Cornwall

778,700

1.8

3,210

-7

Norfolk

398,800

1.8

1,613

-15

North Wales

308,300

1.7

1,225

-4

North Yorkshire

360,900

1.7

1,433

-22

Cumbria

227,000

1.5

727

-13

Dyfed-Powys

231,200

1.2

623

-12

Commenting on the findings, a spokesperson for  A-Plan Insurance said:- "Theft is 1 of the main concerns for drivers, especially if you live in an area like London or the West Midlands, where there's a higher risk of your vehicle being stolen than there is in somewhere like Dyfed Powys and Cumbria. It's interesting to see that some of the places with the highest vehicle crime rates are improving, though, and drivers can rest easier by making sure they have adequate insurance cover for their vehicles to protect them from theft and other risks."

What are you thoughts on these findings? Please do email them to our Newsroom at:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com.

Major improvements to A34 to boost local economy and connectivity

MOTORISTS, pedestrians and cyclists in Greater Manchester and Stockport will benefit from better connectivity and new economic and housing opportunities thanks to critical improvements to the A34 Cheadle Handforth. On Friday, 3 June 2022, the Government has announced it will invest £33.6 million in the A34 Corridor Improvement Scheme Phase 1 to ease congestion and enhance walking and cycling accessibility along the corridor. The improvements will generate £76.8 million in direct economic benefits by supporting the development of more than 2,500 new homes and 33.3 hectares of employment space, while boosting transport links to Manchester Airport and HS2. The project will create new opportunities for clean, active travel since it includes the construction of a segregated pedestrian and cycle route running along the A34 corridor.

These improvements have been assessed to be high value for money as they will also improve access to the Cheadle Royal Business Park, the Stanley Green business area and the Kingsway School. Roads Minister Baroness Vere said:- "We are committed to delivering world class infrastructure across Greater Manchester to ensure the local economy can truly thrive. This £33.6 million in funding will improve connectivity and attract crucial economic investment to boost local employment and housing development, while giving motorists, cyclists and pedestrians the modern, safe and uncongested roads they deserve. This scheme represents yet another important stepping stone towards building more pedestrian and cycle facilities to create a clean, efficient road network that is truly accessible to all."

In total, the proposed scheme consists of a series of 13 linked interventions which include improved capacity at key locations across the corridor, a new link road connecting the A34 and Wilmslow Road, approved future housing development and new intelligent transportation system solutions to provide better network management.

The Department for Transport will provide £33.64m towards the project, with Stockport Council contributing £560,000. The remaining £6.3 million will be provided by third party developers.

Cllr Colin Macalister, Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration at Stockport Council, said:- "This is fantastic news for Stockport. We believe this new scheme, which includes:- enhancing and improving the borough's cycling and walking links, will help to encourage active travel and ensure journey times are improved. This scheme, which is subject to full public consultation and planning permission being granted, is much more than just focussing on cars: its aim is to encourage and support more sustainable forms of transport. The A34 is a vital route in the borough, and this investment will bring a host of benefits to not only the A34 corridor, but Stockport as a whole."

The investment follows a string of Government measures to encourage active travel and help level up the country by improving road infrastructure. These include:- £200 million to encourage cycling and walking, more than £5 billion over 2020 to 2025 for highways maintenance and the introduction of a new inspection regime to tackle the plague of potholes.

Peter Molyneux, Major Roads Director at Transport for the North, said:- "Enhancing the A34 will bring significant benefits for all road users and we're delighted that the project is being funded. As 1 of the schemes put forward by Transport for the North in our 2019 National Roads Fund bid, we highlighted its strategic importance to the local area in supporting new housing and employment developments and encouraging economic growth. It will bring improvements in journey times and capacity, and the active travel provision that is an integral part of the scheme will help to create a sustainable road network that is safe and practical for pedestrians and cyclists as well as those in motor vehicles. We look forward to continuing our close work with Stockport Council and seeing work begin later this year."

The A34 scheme has received approval in principle. This is conditional on the local Councils submitting final business cases once they've secured the legal permissions they need and have carried out procurement to select a contractor.

News reports located on this page = 2.

Research finds drivers in London are most likely to have their car stolen with Merseyside in 17th place

Major improvements to A34 to boost local economy and connectivity