Bike storage
A lack of safe and secure public bike storage is preventing people from getting outside to cycle around their local areas. Inadequate, unreliable bike parking is a major barrier to cycling, as many people are unwilling to leave their bikes in public places for fear of theft or damage. More public cycle parking would make local communities more accessible, while also reducing traffic congestion and air pollution.
Building more bike storage in public areas, such as train stations, high streets, or schools, is challenging due to many types of large scale storage requiring planning permission. Our ‘Let’s Take This Outside’ campaign calls on the current government to introduce these changes.
Creating a local development order (LDO) for public bike storage enables councils to unlock new storage for their residents. It would remove the need for individual planning applications, thereby reducing the bureaucratic burden on councils and helping unlock local economic growth.
Background
Presently, a range of types of bike storage require planning permission. Bike shelters with roofs and two-tier racks require planning permission as they are classified as a permanent structure. However, Sheffield stands, on-street cycle hangars, and single tier cycle racks or stands do not require planning permission.
Expanding bike storage helps improve air quality. As 12% of particulate matter comes from road transport and one quarter of all journeys made are under one mile, expanding options for low-emission transport, such as cycling, is essential for improving air quality.
Expanding access to cycling supports economic growth. Bike parking has a five times higher retail spend per square metre than the equivalent area of car parking. Additionally, cycling helps reduce traffic congestion which costs the UK economy £30.6 billion annually, making it easier and quicker for road users to travel around their communities.
Increasing access to safe storage helps deter bike theft. Convenient, secure, high quality bike storage, such as access-controlled cycle hubs and CCTV monitored storage, makes bikes harder to steal and less attractive to thieves. Since 15% of victims stop cycling altogether after a theft, reducing bike crime is essential to promote cycling and ensure its benefits for congestion and air quality are felt by all.
Bike storage helps extend the lifespan of a bike. Sheltering a bike from rain and snow will reduce rusting and corrosion, while protection from UV rays lowers damage to the paintwork. This makes it easier and cheaper to maintain a bike.
Well-designed bike storage helps improve the feeling and safety of an area. It reduces the number of poorly-parked bicycles blocking pavements and obstructing hallways in shared flats. Bike storage should be designed with materials that reflect and enhance the surrounding built environment. Adding features, such as green roofs, improves the visual appeal of the storage itself.
Widening the availability of bike storage does not need to negatively impact motorists and other road users. Well designed bike storage will not disadvantage drivers, instead it will reduce the number of cars on the road and free up more parking spaces.
Case studies
Croydon Borough Council partnered with Southern Railways and Transport for London (TfL) to build a new bike hub at Kenley Station. The hub was funded by TfL’s cycle parking grant and Southern Railways’ annual ‘Small Station Improvements’ fund. Croydon Borough Council worked with stakeholders to design and build the facility as part of their 'Connecting Kenley' initiative, which promotes a more coordinated transport planning, making cycling more accessible for first and last mile journeys to and from the station. Access to the hub is via a fob available at the ticket office. The hub contains CCTV, a repair stand, and a pump for tyres.
Hillingdon Council has issued nine School Cycle Parking grants. The grants enable schools to install bike and scooter parking to make cycling or wheeling to school more accessible and convenient. The council is also introducing new cycle parking at key locations, including in Uxbridge town centre, to accommodate the increase in overall demand expected from expanding active travel infrastructure.
Sevenoaks District Council opened a cycle hub at Swanley Station. The hub contains 56 cycle parking spots on two-tier racks and was done in collaboration with Kent County Council, the South East Local Enterprise Partnership, South Eastern Railway, the government, and Network Rail with the goal of making it easier for passengers to cycle to and from the station. There is also CCTV, a key fob entry system, and motion sensor lighting to address safety concerns.
Resources and ideas to support the ‘Let’s Take This Outside’ campaign
Introduce a LDO for building more public bike storage locally, including bike hangers on highways, cycle hubs, and storage in conservation areas. An LDO is a tool used by Local Planning Authorities that creates specified PDR within a defined area, reducing the unnecessary bureaucracy for developers. If your authority is the LPA, it has the power to introduce an LDO for bike storage, removing the need for individual planning applications.
Table a motion in support of building more bike storage if your authority is not an LPA. Please see a draft motion in support of increasing public access to bike storage below. If you do submit a motion, please email info@cen.uk.com to and let us know how you got on.
Write a public or private letter to your LPA and champion this campaign in your local media. You can urge your LPA to introduce a LDO by writing to them and highlighting the reasons your area needs more public bike storage. If your letter is public, you could promote it on social media and by sending a press release to your local newspaper.
Create a webpage that allows residents to suggest locations for local bike storage. This tool can be used if you, your colleagues, or your residents frequently see bikes littering a road or know a particular location is a hotspot for theft.
Partner with firms, such as railway operators, to fund the rollout of bike storage. If it doesn’t already exist, transport hubs, such as railway and bus stations, are a good place to install storage.
Read the wealth of cycle infrastructure resources available online. Organisations such as Cycling UK, Walk Wheel Cycle, and London Cycling Campaign have published online resources to assist local authorities installing bike storage. The Department for Transport’s Local Transport Note on Cycle Infrastructure Design is designed to support local authorities building successful cycle infrastructure.
Draft motion for LPA councils
This [local authority] notes:
Safe, secure, and accessible bike storage is essential to encourage the uptake of cycling, which in turn reduces traffic congestion, improves air quality, and supports local economic growth.
A lack of bike storage is a barrier to cycling and is preventing residents from getting outside and cycling around their communities due to concerns about damage to their bike and bike theft.
Presently, many types of bike storage require planning permission making them difficult and time-consuming to build.
This [local authority] resolves:
To create a Local Development Order to permit the building of two-tier bike storage and bike storage with permanent walls in public places to remove the need for individual planning applications.
Draft motion for non-LPA councils
This [local authority] notes:
Safe, secure, and accessible bike storage is essential to encourage the uptake of cycling, which in turn reduces traffic congestion, improves air quality, and supports local economic growth.
A lack of bike storage is a barrier to cycling and is preventing residents from getting outside and cycling around their communities due to concerns about damage to their bike and bike theft.
Presently, many types of bike storage require planning permission making them difficult and time-consuming to build.
This [insert local authority type] resolves:
To call on the [insert Local Planning Authority] to introduce a Local Development Order for two-tier bike storage and bike storage with permanent walls to remove the need for individual planning applications.
To call on the British Government to introduce a permitted development right for two-tier bike storage and bike storage with permanent walls.
If you decide to submit a motion, please email info@cen.uk.com and let us know the outcome.
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