Cycling Expertise: Bicycle Parking at Train Stations

News

File of the Week , I-6/2011: Linking bicycle use and local public transport intelligently will only increase in importance. Secure and easily accessible parking possibilities for a large number of bicycles are becoming all the more important. Imperative is an attractive mix of services offered.

Source:

difu on 02.09.2012

Bike & Ride: Advantages for cyclists and for the public transport system

Combining cycling and train use is advantageous for both cyclists and for public transport service providers:

Bicycles are a more flexible means of reaching and leaving the train station, preventing waits for shuttle transport to and from the station (compared with buses or tramways for example).
By not having to drive a vehicle, commuters have the comfort and time on longer train rides for work or reading

The more environmental combination of bike and train offers door-to-door commuting times comparable to the motor vehicle. Local public transport service providers benefit from the "Bike & Ride" combination by reaching a wider radius of users with any given stop, as compared with exclusive use by pedestrians.

Conclusion

Linking bicycle use and local public transport intelligently will only increase in importance, especially in times of rising fuel prices and the prospect of wider use of electrically assisted bicycles (and thus a wider range of bicycle use). Secure and easily accessible parking possibilities for a large number of bicycles are becoming all the more important. Imperative is an attractive mix of services offered: just as important as large, monitored, paying parking garages for expensive bicycles are a plethora of traditional inverted U-type racks in close proximity to the train station. Not all cyclists wish to pay for parking or to enter a parking garage, even if it was constructed specifically with bicycles in mind. An optimal mix of parking options on offer will help to make train stations the centre of the city again.

Download: cye_i-06_bicycle-parking-at-train-stations.pdf

Background:

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