Planning your Cycle Parking – Part 1: Location

Resources
Blog
Planning your Cycle Parking – Part 1: Location

If you are considering having a new cycle parking solution you want the final product to be suit your needs exactly. The last thing you need is to have a brand new shiny shelter installed only to find no one will use it because it’s not in the right place, or so many people use it that it soon becomes full and not everyone can make use of the new facility.

We’ve a series of top tips on how to plan your cycle parking effectively – this week we look at how to find the right location for your cycle parking:

Choosing your cycle parking location:

1. Make it Convenient – Choose a location which is convenient for cyclists to access – locate it close to where cyclists will be entering the site and ideally also close to the building they will most likely use.

If you have showers or a changing area for bike users it is best to locate at the entrance that is nearest to these facilities so that cyclists can quickly get showered and more comfortable without having to traipse the entire building – this will also avoid having mud and water trodden throughout the building.

For safety reasons avoid locating the shelter too near to areas of moving vehicles such as roads and car parks

2. Offer Security for users as well as their bikes – Having the parking close to a well used building offers peace of mind for the users and improves security. (If the shelter is nearer to the building than the car park more make take up cycling to avoid a long walk to a carpark!)

A well lit area, or having lights installed into the area is a good idea to increase the security of the bikes and also the safety of the cyclists.

For added security, consider having the shelter located in view of CCTV cameras or have CCTV installed in the area.

3. Show off your Shelter – It is a good idea to situate your cycle parking in plain view as tucking a cycle shelter or compound out of sight not only lowers the security to users and their cycles and may mean they have further to travel to access the facility, but it may also send out the message that your organisation is not really behind a cycling initiative.

Having a shelter in a prominent place shows your commitment to the importance of cycling and can encourage more to take up cycling as they can see that their valuable possession can be stored safely and securely.

Have signage created to point the way to your cycle parking so that everyone including visitors can locate the facilities easily.

When considering new cycle parking shelter it is also important to consider your budget, the type or users and amount of users and the type of parking solution and finish required. These issues will be covered in this blog series over the new few weeks so be sure to pop back to find out more handy tips.

If you are keen to improve the cycle uptake at your school or organisation, or you wish to cater to the needs of cyclists who already use your site, but you do not have sufficient funding to provide suitable facilities a grant help with funding may be available. Download our free Funding Guide below for information on grants available and tips about how to fill in an application form.

Able Canopies Ltd. design, manufacture and install commercial grade canopies, shade sails,
awnings and shelters across the UK. We specialise in servicing the education, leisure,
healthcare and retail sectors and have extensive experience working with
schools, councils, architects and contracting firms.
For more information on our products and services please contact us

Follow us on our social media accounts for the latest funding advice, new products & latest news:
Twitter | Facebook | Google + | Linked In

Back to Blog

Planning your Cycle Parking – Part 1: Location

See also