Replace car spaces with free on-street bike racks.

Very simple really - the space of one car could fit bike racks for 6-12 bikes. Cambridge is a great UK example for this. Every residential street should have at least one space dedicated to bike storage - far more people own bikes than cars, yet there are so many places to park your car but none to park a bike.

The bike storage hangars are great - but expensive. Just have on-street bike parking on residential streets, especially those with tenements or other flats.

They don't even have to be covered - people can get seat covers or wipe their seats when it rains, we're not made of sugar. Literally just 4-6 sheffield hoops, that's it.

Why the contribution is important

Flats are small, and in shared accommodation there's not enough space for multiple bikes. Carrying bikes up is difficult, especially if you live on the 3rd/4th floor. Also important from a fire-safety perspective - tenements stairs get filled up with bikes.

I drive a car, and pay for my permit. I'd happily give up my space for bike spaces. Encourage people to have bikes instead of cars, where they can.

by thomasz on August 06, 2020 at 02:44PM

Current Rating

Average rating: 5.0
Based on: 6 votes

Comments

  • Posted by DJ August 10, 2020 at 20:23

    I agree completely with the use of space on each street for bikes, but a roof over would help - most bikes rust in the rain! That said, if it means more procrastination then I’d take some bike spaces on every street over one or two with shelters.

  • Posted by Voiceofreason August 17, 2020 at 08:51

    Super but make sure that the spaces are adequately charged for. When our street was zoned for permits, I recall a Council apparatchik telling us that we would only ever be charged the cost of issuing the permit (even then it seemed like the council must have contracted a law firm only to use the most expensive hourly rate based partners to hand print permits). Next we were dumped into a scheme that's supposed to be emissions driven for a spot of virtue signalling. On this basis, cycle spaces should be at the most expensive rate on the basis that a Bentley Bentayga generates exactly the same level of emissions as a bicycle when they're parked - 0...........

  • Posted by Iketa August 27, 2020 at 00:15

    Agree 100% . Like many people in Edinburgh I live in a standard 2 bed tenement flat with limited storage space and no communal area for storage of bikes. There's no space in my hallway for a bike and nowhere secure on the street outside to lock it so I have to store it at a relative's house about a mile away. This is useless for day-to-day and doesn't allow me to choose the bike for short trips, I often end up using the car instead. Please install on-street bike lockers in every tenement street. I would happily pay an equivalent cost to a car permit (say £100p.a.) and I'm sure there are many others like me who would also. It could pay for itself - 20 bikes - £2000 a year. I'd bet it would dramatically increase bike usage and might tip some people into getting rid of their cars altogether if they could replace them with an electric bike. Surely this is a no-brainer, could easily contact it out if it's too much hassle,

  • Posted by larkin September 24, 2020 at 11:46

    Agree completely. I've been a keen cyclist all my life, but now in my 70's with heath problems, have had to give up. Instead I use a small (110cc) scooter to travel across town when necessary. While in no way as good as a bicycle and still polluting, the scooter does 160 miles to the gallon, and takes up little road space. Allowing PTW's into bus lanes has been a great help, but parking bays are few and far between - it would be good to see more.
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