Key features
Cycle parking provides dedicated infrastructure where people can leave their bicycles when they are carrying out other activities. Cycle parking ranges from a single cycle rack to extensive underground and multi-storey facilities containing thousands of spaces that have secure and all-day access. Basic cycle parking is usually free to use, while sometimes there are small charges to use more secure parking, as is the case in Malmö. In most instances where there are more than a few racks, there will be some active security measures, such as CCTV.
Function and objectives
Cycle parking aims to provide an organised means of ensuring that bicycles can be left in a convenient location without adversely affecting the movement and accessibility of other people (pedestrians or drivers). To prevent theft and encourage its use, cycle parking needs to be, and be seen to be, safe and secure. The location, design, lighting and monitoring (e.g. with cameras) of cycle parking can all help in this respect.
It is important to understand how the parking facilities will be used and whether the bicycles are likely to be left for short or longer periods, in order to provide the correct service. Short term parking may be used during a quick visit to local amenities, while longer term parking can be provided at transport nodes for people who commute by public transport. Longer-term bicycle storage could also be provided in high density or historic residential areas, where the ability to store a bicycle in a secure place within the home might be limited.
Bicycle parking locations and facilities should ideally be set out in the framework of a wider bicycle parking policy that is proportionate to the current level of cycling and/or the ambitions of the city for cycling. A bicycle parking policy should also be integrated into a city's overall parking policy and its planning processes.
Complementary measures
For cycle parking to be successful, it needs to be developed in parallel to the development of a good quality cycling network (see Developing a cycle network for your city ). If people do not feel comfortable cycling in a city, cycle parking facilities will not be utilised as much. Promotion and awareness of cycle parking are also needed, particularly if new security or access features have been introduced that the local population may not be familiar with. Anti-theft measures, including bicycle registration schemes, can complement cycle parking by deterring theft and increasing security.
Performance
The provision of some degree of cycle parking is necessary for most cities, even those with very low levels of cycling. The higher the level of cycling, the higher the level of cycle parking that is needed. If a city plans to take action to increase the level of cycling in the city, consideration will need to be given to how best to cater for the subsequent increase in cycle parking that will be needed.
The provision of cycle parking facilities is a more efficient use of limited urban space than car parking spaces - one car parking space could be used to provide cycle parking facilities for eight to ten bicycles. There are also more advanced cycle parking options that allow cars and bicycles to park in the same space, depending on the time of day.
As noted above, the most important impacts of cycling parking are on the security of parked bicycles and the management of public space. Cycle parking will only have other beneficial impacts, e.g. on congestion, the environment and health, if it is combined with other measures that aim to increase the level of cycling in a city, particularly the development and provision of cycle path, and more broadly, the development of a cycle network.
Parameters of success or failure
It is important that a city has an adequate amount of cycle parking that is consistent with the level of cycling in the city - the more cycling there is, the more cycle parking will be needed. The higher the demand for cycle parking in limited urban space, the more important innovative parking solutions will be.
The most important element of successful cycle parking is the convenience of its location. It needs to be easy to ride or walk a bicycle to a cycle parking facility, which should be located near the intended destination. This is also important for discouraging people from leaving bicycles at inappropriate locations, which may obstruct pedestrians or other transport modes. Consider converting existing car parking spaces into cycle parking, which is easily accessible from the road and does not take space from the pavement. Cycle parking at public transport stations needs to be located near to entrances, as is the case in Malmö and Brighton. In this way, cycle parking can help to support transport intermodality. Similarly, cycle parking at other major attractions, including shopping centres, universities, major centres of employment and leisure attractions, should also be located as close as possible to relevant entrances.
The safety and security of cycle parking are also of fundamental importance. Its location, design and access are elements of this, and the inclusion of visible monitoring, such as CCTV, along with clear signage that the system is monitored and regularly checked, is also important. The internal design of the facility should take account of potential security concerns in the way in which it is lit and designed. For facilities intended for long-term use, protection from the weather is another important factor and so these sites should have a roof or be located within a building.
Facilities also need to be easy to identify and use. Any access requirements or fees should be clearly indicated and registering for access requirements should be simple to complete, either online or in person at the parking facility. Linking the means of access to another card, such as a public transport card, can improve ease of access and reduce the number of cards an individual needs. Access to secure cycle parking facilities also needs to be sufficiently flexible, including late closing and early opening if facilities do not have a 24-hour opening.
The price of using the facilities is also important. Many parking facilities are free to use, while secure facilities, or a secure part of a larger facility, may charge a small fee for registration and/or use, as is the case in Malmö and Brussels. Fees should be kept low so that the price of using the facilities does not discourage people from using them. Ideally, any fees should be the same across all secure cycle parking facilities in the city.
Cycle parking should cater for the needs of different users. Some users will only want to leave their bicycle for a short period of time, while others will want to park, or store, their bicycles for longer periods. The needs of users of different types of bicycle should also be considered. For example, space should be left for cargo bikes if these are commonly used in a city, while the provision of charging points for electric bikes might also be considered.
More generally, the promotion of cycle parking facilities is important, especially after the completion of the installation of new facilities. The existence of cycle parking facilities should be clearly marked by signage and also appear on various maps: at public transport stations, shopping centres, on city guides, mobile applications and online travel planners. The existence of cycle parking facilities should be integrated into the city's more awareness raising campaigns on cycling.
To maximise the effectiveness of cycle parking and integrate it with other cycling infrastructure in the city, cycle parking should be developed as part of a larger plan. It is important for a city to understand how cyclists use their city, including where they park their bicycles and how existing cycle parking is used (see Copenhagen's Priority Plan for Bicycle Parking). Furthermore, developing a plan for bicycle parking in a city can help to ensure that cycle parking infrastructure develops in a coherent and consistent manner. Such a plan can also be used as part of a dialogue with relevant stakeholders.
Cities can consider setting minimum requirements for the number of cycle parking places in new developments. The appropriate minimum number of places will vary according to the type of development. For high density housing, a minimum standard for the number of secure, indoor places could be set relating to the anticipated number of residents. For educational establishments, minimum standards should relate to the anticipated number of students and staff, while for commercial sites the minimum standard should be linked to the expected number of employees and visitors.
The installation of cycle parking facilities needs to be undertaken after consultation with relevant stakeholders. In addition to cyclist groups and local residents and businesses, other stakeholders that need to be included will be determined by the location of the facilities. For cycle parking facilities that support inter-modality, engagement with the local public transport operators will be needed as they may even be responsible for the installation and management of the facility. Elsewhere, other landowners may need to be engaged, such as shopping centres, entertainment venues and major employers.
Key lessons for transferability
- Easy to use facilities: Cycling parking facilities need to be easy to use, which includes having a convenient location and being easy to access. Movement within the facility with a bicycle must be easy and obstacle-free. The racks themselves must be easy to use, particularly second tier racks that need to be lowered and raised. For large facilities, consideration could be given to installing a bicycle parking monitoring system, to help users identify where there are free racks within the facility.
- Managing abandoned bikes: One of the important elements of managing a large bike parking facility or ensuring that the cycle parking facilities within a city are used efficiently is to remove abandoned bicycle frames or wheels. If a parking facility has a bicycle parking monitoring system, this can be used to identify which bicycles have been left too long in the parking facility. Otherwise, the necessary monitoring will need to be undertaken manually. In Brussels, dated stickers are placed on bicycles that appear to have been abandoned, during regular inspections. If the bicycle does not move after three weeks, it is then removed and kept in a storage facility for three months. Bicycles that remain unclaimed after this period are given to the municipality where they were found and are usually repaired and given to local schools.
- Integration of services: Secure cycle parking facilities often have related services on the same site. For example, cycle servicing and repair could be offered, as is the case in Malmö, Brighton and Brussels. Other services that could be provided include showering and changing facilities, toilets, information points, and a café. Bringing together services in this way helps to create a focal point for cyclists and those interested in cycling. Where a number of services have been brought together at the same location, it is important that clear responsibilities are assigned for the operation and management of the space.
