Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion has welcomed changes which will help deliver better police visibility in local communities.

West Mercia Police is making bikes available to more patrol officers. The changes will mean any frontline officer would be able to use a bike as part of their patrols. Bikes will also be pooled – enabling more people to use them.

West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion said: “These are some simple changes which can make a real difference in improving police visibility. It will ensure police are still accessible right at the heart of our local communities, but will enable them to cover more ground on patrol. It’s a common sense approach which benefits both the police and the public.”

West Mercia Police Deputy Chief Constable Anthony Bangham said: “Providing more of our safer neighbourhood officers the option of patrolling on bikes is a great way of improving their visibility at the same time as making them more accessible to the public. In many circumstances it is also an extremely efficient way of getting around their local patrol area.”