Norman Lamb's Norwich station frustration after bike theft

Sir Norman Lamb had left his bike in the parking racks alongside the station before getting a train down to London.

However, he discovered only the lock and back wheel of his bike after it had been nicked.

Norman Lamb had his bicycle stolen from Norwich Train Station (Image: Archant)

To add insult to injury Mr Lamb, 66, also found a warning leaflet from Greater Anglia saying what was left of his bike was "abandoned, unused or causing an obstruction". 

READ MORE: Cyclists feel 'cursed' in their pursuit of preventing further deaths

The former North Norfolk MP, who lives in Norwich, said: "Because of the bad weather I took a taxi after returning to Norwich and went to collect my bike on Sunday evening - it had been there about a week.

"All that was left was the wheel and lock - so when I went back to collect the remaining parts on Tuesday night I found the warning notice.

Mr Lamb was confused after receiving an abandonment notice from Greater Anglia, after his bike was stolen, with the back wheel and lock remaining (Image: Norman Lamb)

"It's blindingly obvious the bike's been nicked, so I'm not sure what the point of the notice was.

"The bike has strong memories for me - I cycled to Paris in 2009 when I was MP and cycled to Arnhem, in Holland, with Jeremy Goss on it.

"I'm very sad and annoyed it's been stolen and the warning notice just rubbed salt in the wound."

A spokeswoman for Greater Anglia said: "On occasion, bikes are abandoned at the station and in this case, it was mistakenly assumed when the wheel was tagged that it was an abandoned one, rather than the remains of a stolen one."

Greater Anglia added it regularly tags parts of bicycles that "look abandoned" to help keep the cycle rack clear.

It added: "We'll be holding cycle security events in the future to try and help prevent a repeat of such problems."

Mr Lamb pictured with former Norwich City players, when he cycled to Arnhem, Holland (Image: Archant)

Mr Lamb, who is chair of mental health service NHS Maudsley in London, believes Greater Anglia should do more to protect people's bicycles in order to entice more to cycle.

READ MORE: Husband dies while still grieving the loss of his wife after cancer battle

"I would have hoped more would have been done to keep the bikes safe," he added.

"There seems to be a CCTV camera overlooking the bike rack, but no signs to warn people off.

Norman Lamb, former North Norfolk MP and current chairman of NHS Maudsley (Image: Supplied)

"I'm fortunate enough I can get another bike but there will be many people who can't afford one.

"The city is trying to encourage people to cycle, take the train, take 'green transport', so it's pretty off-putting if your bike isn't safe."