5.5 Bicycle Parking

A strategic approach to the provision of bicycle parking facilities will contribute to:

• Promoting modal shift – locating cycle parking conveniently to destinations, building entrances etc., and reminding people of the bicycle;
• Improving the quality of cycling facilities – where cyclists and their are fully considered;
• Well-designed cycle parking in public spaces – well planned, considerate of the needs of pedestrians and other street users, visually attractive, and sufficient in terms of quantity and quality for the activities in the locality – resulting in less cycle parking against poles, railings etc.;
• Security – where bicycle users are confident their bikes will not be stolen or vandalised;
• Support for mobility management plans – where early provision of cycle parking indicates a level of real commitment towards the bicycle.

Cycle parking areas with a large number of parking places need careful design, and the parking area layout needs to be borne is mind when selecting the type of rack or stand to be used.

In general, frame-supporting stands are more appropriate for small parking clusters of up to up to 10 or 15 stands.

The final aspect of the parking layout to be considered is the space to be provided between parking rows. The length of a standard bicycle is approximately 2.0m. A well-designed parking facility should provide 2.5m between the rows to allow cyclists room to manoeuvre when parking and collecting their bicycles

The NTA manual identifies key principles and approaches. However, cycle parking knowledge and design is comprehensive and well developed in Europe, and provide solutions that have been developed in cities and countries with far greater experience of cycle parking issues.

Please consult the following for more information around these:

Danish Bicycle Parking Manual:

www.celis.dk/Bicycle_Parking_Manual_Screenversion.pdf

European Presto Fact Sheets on Cycle Parking at Interchanges

http://www.presto-cycling.eu

European Presto Fact Sheets on Cycle Parking in Residential Areas

http://www.presto-cycling.eu/images/factsheets/

European Presto Fact Sheets on Cycle Parking in City Centre

http://www.presto-cycling.eu/images/factsheets/

There are many different types of bicycle and bicycle value, different cycle parking duration, and different locations. The Sheffield Stand is not the solution for all situations. Convenience is less important for bicycles that are only used occasionally.

Cyclists will consider the following:

Bicycle-related:

• How valuable is the bike?
• Has the bicycle particular features such as a trailer, or is it a tricycle?
• Does the bicycle have a luggage facility, requiring additional security?

Location related:

• How close is the parking to the destination?
• How likely is there to be available parking slots?
• What is the area like, from a personal security point of view?
• How much public activity is there, a deterrent to vandalism?
• How visible is the cycle parking?
• Is the parking covered or exposed to the elements?

Duration related:

• How long and how often will the bike be left there?
• Will the bike be left overnight?
• Is it possible to get into the parking area, if the access is locked?

In providing sufficient appropriate cycle parking, the designer will need to consider the relative merits of convenience, cost and quality.

Convenience

• Ease of parking and retrieval of bicycles at dwellings compared to the ease of access to the car;
• Short term, high turnover public parking facilities are required near actual destinations;
• Longer term secure parking facilities are suitable up to 250m from public transport facilities.

Cost

• Are the facilities free to use, or is there a charge?
• Do higher quality and more secure bicycle parks, perhaps with on site bicycle repair facilities, warrant a higher charge?

Quality

• Outdoor bicycle racks outside versus indoor bicycle parking?
• Covered versus non-covered parking facilities?
• Guarded versus non-guarded facilities?
• Parking as a stand-alone facility versus parking with additional services (e.g. bicycle-repair and rental)?

The following gives an overview of the varying characteristics of parking at different locations that should be considered in determining the most appropriate parking facility.

Residential

• Convenience is essential for frequently used bicycles, and preferably not via living areas
• Private parking should accommodate residents and visitors
• Shared parking facilities can be suitable for multiple dwellings (e.g. apartment complex)

On-Street

• Proximity to origin or destination, up to 50m.
• Is the bicycle rack covered or exposed?
• Is the facility close enough to nearby pedestrian areas, bus stops, taxi ranks to provide sufficient passive surveillance?

Stored

• Internal or constructed parking for neighbourhoods or employees
• Located at up to 250m from origin or destination
• Accessible by key, pass or chip-system
• Supervision by camera
• Limited amount of bicycles (up to 50-60 bicycles)
• Well laid out internally for convenience

Commercial

• Internal or constructed city centre parking, guarded by personnel, locked
• Possibly combined with other public services such as bike rental & repair outlets, shopping centres, etc.
• Larger bicycle parking capacity than other stored units, often greater than 100
• Located up to 500m from origin or destination.
• May require support service infrastructure.

Lack of parking facility results in obstruction for pedestrians

The process involves six steps as follows:

Step 1: Data Collection

For new development proposals, cycle access and appropriate parking provision should be considered as a matter of course.

For existing locations, the authority should conduct regular (at least annual) counts and surveys at the following locations:

• origins, especially high-density residential developments, including residential estates and apartment blocks
• destinations, e.g. in vicinity of employers, educational establishments and retail centres
• key municipal locations, e.g. public transport stops and interchanges, council and public offices, public parks and playgrounds
• city or town centre on-street locations

The data collected should include:

• the level of uncontrolled cycle parking such as cycles locked to traffic poles, railings etc. This will give an indicator of the extent of unmet demand, and the appropriateness of existing facilities.
• the nature and extent of current cycle parking provision, including number of spaces and racks, and the turnover and usage at different times of day and week
• additional location-specific information that can be provided by user-groups and individual cyclists
• suitability of current cycle parking facilities, through observation and inspection:
  • how easy are they for cyclists to use?
  • are the spaces between bikes to close (less than 750mm) or too far apart (greater than 1.0m)?
• Impact of current cycle parking arrangements on cyclists:
  • are spaces available when cyclists stopping to park?
  • are the cycle racks too close to moving traffic?
• Impact of current cycle parking on other road users
  • are other users (especially pedestrians) affected when cyclists are parking their bicycles?

Counts should be conducted during May to September when cycling it in peak demand. It is useful to seek the views of cyclists, as their experiences as users of cycle parking will give additional insights:

• Is there a preference for certain types of facility?
• Where are the current shortfalls? Where should new facilities be located?
• Whether bicycle parking should be subject to tariffs (paid parking)?
• How much would you be prepared to pay (is there an acceptable threshold)?

Step 2: Spatial Analysis

By mapping existing provision and usage, it is easier to identify additional locations where cycle parking should be provided, such as:

• centres of employment
• centres of education
• district, town and city centre
• public transport interchanges, train stations, tram stations, busy bus stops,
• arenas, sports grounds, leisure complexes,
• locations of public events and recreation
• tourism and heritage destinations, including trails and walks

Not all of these are in public ownership, and it may require co-ordination through mobility management initiatives to identify and support appropriate new provision.

Step 3: Drafting the Implementation Plan

Drainage gullies, channels and manhole covers can present hazards to cyclists and should be located away from travelling surface used The next step involves balancing distance, cost and quality at each location, and then considering the most appropriate cycle parking infrastructure

Within the plan, it should then be feasible to define priorities for short term and long-term implementation, and draw up a suitable implementation plan.

Step 4: Public Participation

Local Authorities should clearly set out their policies and targets in relation to bicycle parking and communicate them to all the stakeholders at the outset. A system should be put in place to facilitate ongoing feedback from relevant target groups. This will assist in establishing consensus on priority areas and in identifying possibilities and opportunities for future action.

Step 5: Implementation Stage

A Bicycle Parking Plan can be determined once priorities have been established, preferably by consensus with the stakeholders, and the necessary funding has been secured. Advertising revenue from bicycle parking structures may be a part of the funding.

The Local Authority can then implement the Bicycle Parking Plan on a phased basis, subject to agreed arrangements for project management and control.

Step 6: Monitoring and Evaluation

Following implementation, the operation and utilisation of the bicycle parking facilities should be regularly monitored and reviewed. It is recommended that any monitoring programme should include, inter alia, the following items:

• Occupancy
• Turnover per bicycle place per day
• Unmet demand (e.g. by counting bicycles parked at poles, railings etc.)
• Vandalism
• Number of bicycles reported stolen

In addition to the authority’s own inspections, stakeholders and end-users should be encouraged to monitor and provide feedback on the effectiveness or otherwise of the measures provided.

On-street parking should be the central “public” element in any bicycle parking strategy. On-street bicycle parking is highly visible and:

• promotes a strong pro-cycling message
• provides cyclists with kerb-free access to cycle parking
• does not compromise or affect pedestrians if properly installed
• needs no land/property acquisition
• can be installed easily, and at low cost, as drainage and alignment issues will have been catered for in designing the adjacent carriageway
• has minimal add-on costs other than perhaps some protection from adjacent vehicular movements (e.g. bollards)
• can be provided without difficulty at the end of parallel vehicular parking bays, to define and maximise effective use of kerbside space

There is a strong case to be made for re-assigning a certain percentage of on-street car-parking space to cycle parking as a way towards achieving sustainable transport/ modal shift objectives.

Locations proximate to public transport and taxi ranks will provide a degree of informal supervision that discourages vandalism.

Beyond a certain volume, however, or for particular destinations, on-street parking will not be enough, and the local authority will have to consider additional storage facilities.

Dedicated commercial storage for bicycles will become more viable as the cycle market increases. An element of bicycle parking should be included as part of all multi-storey/commercial (paid) car parks.

Cycling Parking in Lieu of Car Parking

Planning Authorities should include a requirement for bicycle parking in conditioning new development permissions. The following table gives guidance on the minimum number of spaces which should be provided initially at new private and public facilities. However, more generous provision should be considered in district, town and city centres, around public transport hubs, and on campuses.

Consideration should be given to requiring the provision of direction-signs, in particular for Storage and Commercial parking facilities. Bike lockers, showers & changing rooms should be available at Final Destination Storage facilities (private)

All bicycle parking facilities should be capable of performing the basic functions of

• supporting the bicycle from falling over,
• protecting it against theft
• allowing the cyclist room to position/ lock / unlock the bike.

Consideration should also be given to

• lighting
• protection against the weather
• ease of access
• requirements at public transport

Bicycle Stands

All racks, bicycle stands and clamps should provide enough support to prevent any type of bicycle from falling over. This usually requires support for the frame and/or forks. The Sheffield Stand (U-bar) will achieve this, but there are many other architectural products on the market also.
Units that are designed to grab the front wheel only are not generally recommended for public cycle parking. While they are often space efficient, they are ineffective for many tyre widths -see 5.5.9 Choosing an Appropriate Design of Rack or Stand below for further detail.

Protecting the bicycle from theft

A key concern for many cyclists is having their bicycle stolen while it is parked. Different parking arrangements provide different levels of security.

Bicycle parking facilities can protect a bicycle against theft in two ways, either by enabling cyclists to lock their bicycle to the rack, or by providing a built storage facility that can be locked or guarded by personnel and/or cameras.

On-Street Racks

It must be easy for cyclists to lock the bicycle frame to the rack or stand. For additional peace of mind, many cyclists will seek to secure individual parts of the bike, such as the frame, wheels, trailer etc. This is done using a long bicycle lock that is woven through the various components and around the rack itself.

Locked Storage Facilities

These offer greater protection against theft or vandalism. They are particularly suited to schools or places of employment where full-time supervision cannot be provided but where security may be an issue. Access arrangements can include keys or gate codes being issued to individual cyclists, or can be controlled from a central location or by a caretaker.

The bicycle parking cellar is an indoor variation of the locked storage facility for use in residential units, especially apartment blocks.

Bike Lockers

Individual bicycle lockers are another way to provide safe parking. This solution is particularly appropriate for commuters completing the main part of their journey by public transport, and can be used at bus stops, tram, light rail, or railway stations. Lockers can be hired out to cyclists on a day-to- day basis, or longer-term if required, with keys issued from a central location. The disadvantage, compared to other locked storage units, is that they occupy more space per bicycle, and are more costly to build and maintain.

Guarded Bicycle Facilities

Guarded bicycle parking facilities may offer the best way to protect bicycles from being stolen in busy areas such as shopping districts, bus depots, central railway stations, and city-centre locations. Full-time supervision is required, and cyclists will generally have to pay to park their bicycle. Facilities of this type are often associated with bike rental, repair and/or retail operations.

Allowing the cyclist room to position/ lock / unlock the bike

There must be enough space around individual bicycle parking places to allow cyclists to put a bag or pannier on the ground, and to stoop to access locks, pumps, lights, wheels etc.

If bicycle lifts are provided to increase parking space, these are generally used only after the ground level parking is full, since there is an additional degree of physical effort and delay involved in accessing the bicycle on the upper tier.

Lighting

Lighting is important for cycle parking – it is necessary to have a cycle parking location well lit to allow for bicycle locking, for checking the bicycle equipment etc. It is also very important from the point of view of both personal security and bicycle security.

Off-street parking, and its access, should be well lit. On street parking should be located where the street is well lit.

Protecting the bicycle against inclement weather

Exposure to rain can damage bicycles and result in increased maintenance costs. This is particularly important for longer term parking at homes, schools, work places and at public transport stations.

On-street racks and stands may be covered, if this can be incorporated into the streetscape appropriately. Covered bicycle parking facilities such as indoor storage units, bicycle sheds or lockers will help to keep the bicycle dry and in prime condition.

Lockable bicycle sheds that provide added security, also serve a double purpose of providing weather protection.

Ease of Access to Cycle Parking

The location of cycle parking should be such that the time spent walking to / from the cycle parking is not a disincentive to using the bicycle, compared with other modes.

It should also be possible to cycle directly to the cycle parking location, without prior dismounting. For offices, this means providing bicycle-friendly ramps, gates, barriers, ideally not mixed with car or pedestrian traffic.

Requirements at Public Transport

Commuters will often cycle to bus or rail stations if secure parking is available. Given the long parking duration, security is a particular concern.

On high frequency routes, a degree of security is provided through passenger-activity around the station. In such circumstances, daily bicycle commuters may be happy with on-street cycle parking that is highly visible.
For less frequent public transport services, and quiet locations, consideration should be given to locked options (e.g. bike-size lockers).

Park & Ride sites will be mainly long-stay (all-day) parking. Reasonable security is required and can be provided achieved using bicycle locker or lockable shed, although this may not be required if there is full-time supervision on site. Such facilities can be paid or free of charge.

There are many different clamps, racks and stands for public bicycle parking available from a wide range of manufacturers and suppliers. They can be categorised into two basic types:

Front-Fork holding

Front fork-holding clamps and racks are space efficient. They are suitable where convenience of parking and removal is important, but only where bike security is not an overriding issue. The relatively tight spacing can make it difficult to stoop down between adjacent bicycles to apply locks.

Fork-holding clamps are better than wheel-holding stands as they will accommodate any tyre width and will not give rise to wheel buckling if the bicycle gets pushed aside,

Frame-Supporting Stands

Frame-supporting bicycle stands are the simplest type of bicycle parking facility. They are often little more than a support rail, to which the bicycle frame can be locked without difficulty. Frame-supporting stands have the great advantage of being suitable for all types of bicycles and every tyre width.

The Sheffield Stand is probably the best known example of this type of facility. The stands can be used on both sides, and should be set between 1.20m and 1.50m apart to allow the cyclist enough room to place and access the bicycle.

Specialist / Domestic / Residential Units

There are a wide variety of products available catering to a variety of particular needs and situations. These include:

• bicycle lockers (which can accommodate a bike and luggage)
• wall, roof and other domestic cycle holding equipment (for garages etc.)
• sheds, pre-fabricated bike huts etc. (for various applications)