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Parking for bikes – Bob Pickett asks: why are we still second-class citizens?

Bike park at Great Yarmouth - a welcome splash of colour? Here we are, a decade into the 21st century, yet bikers are still treated as second-class citizens when it comes to the simple act of parking.

At the time of writing this (August 2009), Ludlow Council in Shropshire had just rejected a proposal to provide some dedicated parking for bikes, on the grounds that “It would impact the streetscene in an historic part of town” and that car spaces would be lost. The Council also questioned the need for bike parking spaces.

Take a look at this picture of the bike parking spaces on the seafront at Great Yarmouth. Do they impact the ‘streetscene’? I would say they provide a welcome splash of colour. And surely the precious car spaces that would be lost (lets face it, the real reason for turning down the proposal) impact Ludlow’s precious ‘streetscene’ just as badly?

As for the question of “Are bike parking spaces needed?”, yes they are. Bikers are entitled to park just as much as car drivers. And we take up less space – as anyone who rides will tell you, you can fit maybe three or four bikes into a space that one car takes up.

But the pattern repeats endlessly; just visit your local supermarket. How many car spaces are there? Six or seven hundred? And how many bike spaces? That will be just the one then – normally filled with shopping trolleys as the car drivers can’t be asked to walk a few yards to return their trolleys.

Alie St, Tower Hamlets - secure, free parking for bikes - well done to such a forward-thinking council The above assumes no-one else parks in the single bike space that is; on one occasion, I found the sole bike space filled by a white van. When I complained in the store, I was told there was nothing they could do about it, as they didn’t watch the car park. I bet if said van had parked in a disabled bay, then action would have been taken. But no, far easier to turn a blind eye.

Thankfully, not all authorities are so blinkered. Sandwell Council in Birmingham have long shown forward thinking, providing not only a number of bike parks, but also looked at the issue of security. A measure taken up by Tower Hamlets Council in East London.

The barrier at the Alie Street bike bay – just a few minutes walk from the City of London – features a horizontal rail at a height that makes it hard for thieves to get behind a bike and push it onto a van. A secondary rail allows bikers to loop a lock and chain through it, raised off the floor making it difficult to use a bolt cutter.

Tony Finnegan, Communications Officer for Tower Hamlets Council said "Motorcycle parking bays are provided at various locations across Tower Hamlets. We want to help motorcycle users keep their bikes as secure as possible, and are looking to create more parking areas like the one seen on Alie Street.”

"Using funding from Transport for London, the Alie Street parking area features an innovative bike stand installation that makes it extremely difficult for the bikes to be stolen. We hope to secure further funding to roll out more of these parking areas, and at least three additional sites in the borough have already been scheduled for future installations."

Slip your chain round the bar and leave your bike feeling secure - well done again Tower Hamlets for providing this facility Verdict: Tower Hamlets recognises the need for bike parking - there are at least four or five (free of charge) bike parks within a mile of Alie Street – and are also addressing the need for security. By encouraging bikes to park in their borough, the local shops, sandwich bars etc benefit – we all need to eat after all. So the shops on the walk from the bike parks to work all get trade. And four bikes to one car? Four times the trade.

Perhaps Luddites like Ludlow would wish to consider this before putting their heads in the sand and saving all parking for their precious cars. "Its easy to see why so many people fall in love with Ludlow" says their website. Not if you are a biker looking for somewhere to park it isn't.

If you would like to contact either Tower Hamlets or Ludlow about their respective and disparate attitudes towards bike parking:

Tower Hamlets Council Website

Ludlow Council website

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