Stolen bikes

I would say the downfall here being that the OB simply do not the manpower to stop everyone riding a bike to check their licence. It's easily done on vehicles as the ANPR system can automatically check the registration mark and alert the cops if need be, but unless you forced each bike to display a licence plate (impossible to enforce with the sheer number of old bikes that would be exempt from new legislation) it would not be possible.

Also, could you deal with the hassle of being stopped every time you ride a bike to check it's legit. It would piss me off, and even more so for those many legitimate bike riders that may not be- how can we say this in a PC way?- from the Met's favoured racial group.

all this can be solved, i dont work for the city but they are the once who can come up with solutions.

no need to have a plate on each bike, but

if you say POs are expensive and/or cant ask everyone for a licence then the city can have small trucks or maybe marshals who go around every morning for example and check any parked bikes, if the bike doesnt have a licence that shows up on their system, they impound or maybe lock in a way that the owner can only release after paying a visit to the police station

these are only suggestions but seem to me that the city can come up with solutions if it wants to.

also if people stop buying from thieves who have no licence then the market for stolen bikes will be cut down

we are already paying enough tax, no! hell you can add a registration fee, like £10 or more to assist with the cost of manpower to do this. wont make much of a difference when you're buying a £600 bike