Secure Cycle Parking is a vital part of the need for improved cycling infrastructure. Without somewhere safe to leave bikes at home, at work and when out and about, many people will simply not cycle.
If we want more people cycling, we need to solve this issue.
We are campaigning for:
Bikehangars for residential secure on-street cycle parking
Bikehangars, the metallic box to store up to six cycles, have become a popular solution for residential cycle parking in London, Oxford, Bath amongst others. They are safe, secure and convenient.
We’d like to identify locations around Reading where these could be sited.
Read More >> https://readingcyclecampaign.org.uk/residential-bike-hangars/
Bike Hub with secure bike parking in Reading
Unfortunately the plan to open a Bike Hub in Reading town centre has been delayed. However we are still optimistic that this initiative will proceed in the near future.
To support our work, we liaised with Henley Business School’s Real Estate and Planning department who produced an evidence base of UK hubs. The report included updating data on Reading’s existing cycle parking and holding two participatory workshops to develop a vision for the Reading cycle hub.
You can read the report here: https://www.henley.ac.uk/research/projects/cycle-parking-hub-project-reading
Secure cycle lockers around Reading
We need to look no further than Wokingham to see secure bike lockers both in Denmark Street car park and at the entrance to the new Carnival Hub on Wellington Road.
The secure lockers are managed and maintained by Spokesafe. As well as the physical bike lockers, Spokesafe provide an easy-to-use web app booking system, and are on hand via email or phone 24/7 to provide support should it be needed.
Spokesafe is our preferred supplier for Reading >> https://www.spokesafe.com/
Cycle parking at mobility hubs
Reading station is one of the busiest rail hubs in Britain, used by nearly 20 million passengers a year. It’s the second busiest interchange station outside of London, second only to Birmingham New Street, with nearly four million passengers a year changing trains at the station, and yet there is no secure cycle parking! This is a disgrace.
Network Rail’s website states that cycle parking is available:
- Outside the city centre entrance
- Underground short stay car park
- Long stay car park
Unfortunately even though there is CCTV and the British Transport Police on site, bikes are not safe.
Will this happen??
Reading Transport 2040 – Cycle parking mobility hubs and facilities
Under the ‘Schemes and Initiatives’ section of the Reading Transport Plan 2040, Reading Borough Council states on it’s website the following:
The issue
A barrier to people cycling can be the lack of secure cycle parking areas. This can affect people wanting to park their bicycle temporarily, but it can also be a deterrent for people who do not have the space to keep a bicycle at home.
The scheme
Enhancements to cycling in this scheme include:
- Provision of secure, covered cycle hubs at transport interchanges, with the potential for manned security at major hubs
- Hubs can give many secure spaces including CCTV, lighting, electrical charging points, bicycle repair stands, pumps and 24 hour access with key cards
- Establishment of residential cycle parking facilities, particularly in areas of terraced housing
The outcome
- New and improve cycle parking mobility hubs and secure facilities
- Secure parking for residents who think they do not have room to store their own bike
The Reading Transport Plan information quoted above was updated on 15/09/2023 and supports the Reading Cycle Campaign goals for Secure Cycle Parking – but we can’t wait until 2040!