'Probably been melted down:' Lorry load of yellow bikes spotted being driven out of Sheffield as vandalism continues

A lorry load of yellow bikes has apparently been spotted being driven out of Sheffield - as vandalism of the popular scheme continues.
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Facebook user Andy Wraith claims he saw a pick-up truck 'overflowing' with the OFO bikes being driven out of Sheffield one morning early last week - and fears the bikes have now been melted down for scrap.

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Sheffield's bike graveyard: FIVE yellow bikes found trashed in same spot

"They had tried to cover them up with a plastic sheet. Probably been melted down for scrap by now."

A yellow bike was discovered dumped in Page Hall with a wheel missing.A yellow bike was discovered dumped in Page Hall with a wheel missing.
A yellow bike was discovered dumped in Page Hall with a wheel missing.
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The sighting comes after a recent spate of vandalism against the scheme and as more pictures emerged of mindless attacks on the vehicles, included one bike which was dumped in the Page Hall area after having a wheel ripped off.

Yesterday, we revealed how five bikes had been found trashed and dumped in the same spot in Wade Street in Page Hall.

There have been numerous reports of bikes having locks smashed off them, being dumped in canals and rivers and being used by people as their own private bikes after having lock mechanisms removed.

Posting on Facebook, Neil Taylor wrote: "Every time I journey out I come across these vandalised bikes - one at B&Q Hillsborough this morning totally trashed and every youth in Parson Cross seems to be riding them with no shame."

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Kasey Jessica Crossland added: "It was a ridiculously stupid idea anyway to expect anything other than this. All you did was give every feral kid a free bike and something else to destroy."

Rosie Saville posted: "I don’t think the idea is bad, works in other cities. I know people that use them properly and they think it’s a brilliant idea. The people that do this have no respect for anything that isn’t theirs."

Liam Connolly wrote: "It's a highly successful and profitable scheme. Sadly the odd moron try to ruin it for the majority."

Shabir H Aziz wrote: "The council, who must have given permission for this scheme, really should have foreseen the anti-social fallout of such a schemes particular in already run-down deprived areas. This scheme just adds to the fly-tipping/ littering problem in such areas."

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The scheme was launched in Sheffield in January with a fleet of 1,000 bikes - and is the company's first in the north of England.

Users download a free app to locate and unlock a nearby bike, which then charges 50p per half hour to use.

The scheme has already successfully launched in Cambridge, Oxford, London and Norwich.

OFO spokesman Adam Rose said: “We've been operating successfully in Sheffield for many months and local reaction to the scheme has been hugely positive.

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"There has inevitably been a small amount of misuse of our bikes, but levels of vandalism are low. “

"The vast majority of our fleet in Sheffield is being used in a responsible and considerate manner, and we would never allow the actions of minority to ruin the scheme for Sheffield.”