North Yorkshire to expand knife disposal bin network

Additional knife bins are scheduled for installation in various towns and cities across North Yorkshire starting in January. A trial bin, which was placed in Harrogate in January 2023, has since facilitated the disposal of over 1,600 bladed items. Although the incidence of knife crime is lower in York and North Yorkshire compared to the national average for England, the North Yorkshire Council reported that the success of the pilot scheme prompted requests for similar bins from other areas. Following the acquisition of £15,000 in funding from the York and North Yorkshire Office for Policing, Fire, Crime and Commissioning, a component of the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, 20 more bins are set to be installed in the new year. Jo Coles, York and North Yorkshire’s deputy mayor for police, fire and crime, described the initiative as a strong example of “proactive effort to create safer communities”. She stated, “Knife crime is a national problem, and amnesties like this help to get dangerous weapons off the streets without putting police officers in danger.” The initial knife bin was established in the Dragon Road car park in Harrogate and has since collected more than 1,630 knives and bladed articles, which are subsequently gathered and disposed of by North Yorkshire Police. According to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), knife-related crimes recorded by police in England and Wales for the year ending June 2024 saw a 4% increase, reaching 50,973 offenses, up from 49,187 in the preceding year. In North Yorkshire, these figures are two-and-a-half times lower (35 per 100,000 people) than the national average (87 per 100,000 people). North Yorkshire councillor Heather Phillips, whose responsibilities include community safety, expressed her aspiration for the county to maintain its status as “the safest place in England.” Phillips indicated that the positive outcomes of the Harrogate scheme had prompted residents in other parts of the region to request similar provisions. She added, “The roll-out across the county is a proactive measure to ensure such items do not get into the wrong hands.” In collaboration with City of York Council and North Yorkshire Police, the bins will be positioned in Ripon, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge, Northallerton, Stokesley, Thirsk, Tadcaster, Selby, Malton, Pickering, Scarborough, Whitby, Eastfield, Colburn, Richmond, Skipton, and York. These bins are securely bolted into the ground, padlocked, and are only accessible to police personnel.