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One of London's largest churches is objecting to plans to install a docking station for 28 of the Mayor's hire bikes next to its site.
The Brompton Oratory in South Kensington says any increase in bicycles outside the church will disturb the congregation and cause overcrowding on the pavement.
The Rev Julian Large suggests the bikes should be parked outside the Ismaili Centre in Cromwell Gardens instead. The parking spot outside the church is one of 400 across Zone 1 intended to be used by 6,000 bikes to be introduced next summer.
Other residents have also complained about a loss of pavement space and a potential risk to pedestrians.
The local planning committee is set to approve the application, however. A spokesman for the Mayor said the locations of the docking points were decided by officials at TfL and not Mr Johnson.
Reader views (4)
I'm the party-pooper who sent in the objection, which was actually based on safety grounds. The docking station is near a narrow pathway that cyclists like myself find a tempting route from Brompton Road to Hyde Park - to the peril of pedestrians. Apart from that, I intend to use the cycles, and am quite glad that I shan't have to far to walk. It's about time we caught up with the Parisians on this one, well done Boris!
- Julian Large, London
Were the cyclists to attend Catechisis or classes on First Philosophy at the church the ugliness of inaugurating a bike storage facility at one of London's most beautiful churches could be - to some small extent - mitigated.
- Franz Forrester, London
That's a very Christian attitude from the local church.
Not.
- Tony, East Side
I would have thought that the minister would be pleased that bike parking was made available outside his church. He might get more people attending.
- Patrick, Dalston
