Secure Bicycle Parking

and the importance of providing it

Introduction

Improved bicycle safety is not the only requirement for improving the takeup of cycling. Additionally, secure parking is required [p2]. Modern cars, with electronic ignition systems, are very difficult to steal. By comparison, bicycles are easy to steal, and half a million are stolen in the UK every year. If the bicycle is an old bicycle, without much of a resale value (Figure 1), then it is probably safe - and the loss can easily be born - but some bicycles cost over Ł500, and some even more than Ł1000. Leaving these secured in the traditional manner is tempting fate, and replacing them can be expensive, with an average insurance claim of Ł337.

Figure 1: An old, but working bicycle, complete with rust

Traditional Bicycle Security

The traditional bicycle security standards are very poor. Figures 2 and 3 show examples of bicycle parking. The old-fashioned bicycle lock for the front wheel is shown in Figure 2. The failure of this system is obvious - since only the front wheel can be secured, the remainder of the bicycle can be stolen. The 'Sheffield Stand' design shown in Figure 3 is better, since both wheels and the frame can be locked to the bicycle stand.

Figure 2: Front wheel lock - WM/Kristian Ovaska

Figure 3: Sheffield Stand - WM/Stephen Frede

The limiting factor in common with all of these approaches is that the bicycle thief can approach the bicycle without being challenged by members of the public, seriously or at all. This is shown in the footage in the following footage:

This is an experiment that has been done many times, by different groups of people, each time with the same result. Parking a bicycle in a public area is good advice, but will not prevent a determined thief.

Predict and Provide

What is worse, is that many bicycles stolen are not locked at all, either because the owner was only intending to be away from it for a few minutes, or because there weren't enough bicycle stands nearby.

The old doctrine of 'predict and provide' for road building has been dropped in the UK, but the baby has indeed been thrown out with the bathwater. Predict and provide can indeed increase the number of times that journeys are made, but whereas there is an argument for controlling the number of car trips by rejecting this approach, the government is formally committed to increasing the proportion of cycling. Predict and provide is therefore the correct approach for cycling, and the failure to predict and provide leads to a shortfall in cycle parking, as shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4: Too few bicycle parking spaces - NYC

One unfortunate cultural attitude, which is apparent even within Transport for London, is the idea that it is possible to park two bicycles [p8-9] on one Sheffield Stand. Some cyclists, with well-weathered bicycles may not object, but cyclists with nice new bicycles certainly would.

Improved Bicycle Security

The only way to improve bicycle security is to keep unauthorised members of public away from the bicycle parking. This means that the bicycles are stored within a building, which provides separation between the bicycles and the public. The building can be made of bricks, stone, or it could be a mesh cage. The common feature is that there is an access mechanism, which is what limits access to authorised people only.

One approach is represented by the secure bicycle parking in Leicester, as is shown in Figure 5. This facility is called 'Leicester Bike Park'. This cycling facility, provided by Leicester City Council, in conjunction with Environ and Webster Cycles cycle shop, provides 120 parking spaces. The cycle shop means that customers can leave their bicycles at the facility for repair whilst they go about their business. Cyclists are charged to use the facility, which is unusual, since in most cases it is expected that cycling facilities will be provided free of charge. That it is well used suggests that many cyclists would be prepared to pay a charge to use a facility which is of good quality.

Figure 5: Leicester Bike Park, arrowed - original image WM/Andrew Norman

Conclusion

Secure bicycle parking is necessary for increasing the proportion of trips made by bicycle. Secure bicycle parking requires that only authorised people can access the bicycles. This means that some, at least, of the cycling parking needs to be inside buildings and cages.