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Bike station planned for City commuters
David Williams, Motoring Editor15.01.08
A chain of cycle "stations" - each with secure bike parking as well as shower and changing facilities - could appear across London.
The membership-only stations will have racks of tools so that cycling commuters can carry out basic servicing or repair punctures. In time they could have cafés, too.
The first cycle station is expected to open in High Holborn in March, funded by a £200,000 grant from Transport for London in partnership with Camden council and the Holborn Business Partnership.
The station will be underground, taking up rooms beneath an existing block of offices and will be manned during open hours by a receptionist.
Camden hopes that if it succeeds, the project will lead to a chain of similar stations across the capital.
"The aim is to make life a little easier for commuters who already cycle in to work and to attract more cyclists," said Laurie Baker, Camden's transport planning team manager.
"One of the main deterrents stopping more people riding is the lack of facilities so we hope this will help, especially for workers whose employers do not provide them."
The new station will be prominently signposted and will include 90 spaces where bicycles can be locked securely to steel "Sheffield" stands.
Riders will also be able to use lockers to store clothing and riding gear such as helmets and shoes. There will be a membership fee, the size of which which has yet to be decided.
The Evening Standard's Safer Cycling campaign has been demanding extra, secure facilities for the capital's cyclists as part of a 12-point charter.
At the moment, only 1.5 per cent of all journeys in the capital are made by bicycle. However, there has been an 83 per cent rise in cycling in London since 2000, according to Transport for London, taking the total number of cycle journeys each day to 480,000.
Under its new Green Transport Strategy, Camden is proposing more electric charging facilities for electricpowered cars and motorcycles.
It also wants to boost the number of car clubs, enabling members to rent vehicles for short periods of time instead of running their own car.
Another aim of the strategy is to help schools develop "green travel plans" to cut the number of cars on the roads, as well as boosting access to open spaces and improving signs to local walking routes.
The consultation period for the proposals will end on 22 February.
Reader views (10)
This would solve my predicament of how to cycle 8 miles to work and have a shower before my day without having to join a gym. Does anyone know if there any updates on the proposed scheme now that the consultation period has ended?
- Jeremy, Richmond
This is such a great idea as like others I am loathe to join a gym at vast expense only to use the showers. My question is when is this going to open?
- Kate Milnes, Balham
I suspect that most people are interested in the access to clean changing and showering facilities. Who wants to pay £60 for access to the showers in a city gym!? Maybe some of the funding could be used to subsidise city gyms to provide discount deals for cyclists just wishing to use the changing facilities?
- William Hoyle, Roehampton
Long overdue in my opinion. Personally not too worried about secure parking, just want to grab a shower and am loathed to join a gym just to do that.
- Andy, Kingston
This will only work if it has long opening hours. There was one exactly like this a few years ago at Victoria Station. It was not successful however as it used to close far too early in the evening.
- Patrick Griffin, Dalston
When will we see one at Canary Wharf? I'm amazed that employers still don't provide these facilities, and those that do only provide the most basic of them.
- Robert Talbot, Islington
This is brilliant. But how much will they charge for only 90 places...?
- Grace, High Holborn
It's a good start and a great idea - pity its so dangerous to cycle in London!
- Charlie, London
With at least 25% of London's streets clogged by parked cars which create a major part of our traffic problems - where are the adequate parking spaces and secure bicycle fixing rails. It is ridiculous that bicycles have to be chained to lamp posts for lack of any secure fixing points.
Forget the showers and clothes lockers - sort out bicycle parking.
People should be given en economic incentive to ride a bicycle rather than drag a ton and a half of metal round London with all the environmental damage that implies. The exercise taken would have a spin off in reducing our NHS costs.
Observe most cars carry only the driver.
Does it make sense that to move one person a short distance across London you need to move a ton and a half of metal?
- Alistair Maccoll, London
90 slots is not very much.
- Squiz, Islington
