GMPTE Consultation on cycle storage (Deadline 7th June - ish!)

Well its consultation time (again) and those nice people at Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE) are "asking for feedback from cyclists and cycling groups in Greater Manchester on work they are having done on the design of future cycling facilities at public transport locations."  They want comments back by Monday 7 June (or very latest 11th June) and the questions are listed below:

GMPTE Cycle Design Guide Consultation:

1.Type and Quantity of cycle storage

* What type of storage should be provided (ie stands/lockers) and if lockers are provided, what sort should they be?

* How many stands/lockers should we be providing at each location and how should the amount vary according to the type of location?

* How should lockers be accessed eg key, swipe card, coin?

2.Location of storage/security issues

*how should the level of security (including lighting, CCTV, natural surveillance) available influence the location of storage or the type provided?

* where should storage be located for easy access & how can access be improved?

3.Availability of storage

* how can we improve the availability of storage/ make sure there is sufficient storage available for occasional users?

* Should storage be available at all locations (eg bearing in mind different levels of security)?

4.Management/ Maintenance and Cost

* how can the management of the lockers be improved?

* how can we maximise the usage of lockers?

* should charging be per use, or a one-off charge?

5.Signage requirements

* what signage is needed to encourage take up (eg to the stations, within the station)

6.Other

* are there any supporting services that are needed to encourage people to cycle to public transport locations?

* anything else, not covered above, that you feel is important?

So if you feel like sending them your thoughts please email responses to moira.percy@gmpte.gov.uk

Now far be it for anyone to suggest what you should write but we would hope that GMPTE are taking note of the GM Cycle Parking guidelines adopted by all Greater Manchester councils.

And those nice folks at Greater Manchester Cycling Campaign (GMCC) have also made useful, but less than flattering, comments on the cycle lockers that have been favoured by GMPTE in the past.  See for example the April 2008 entitled "Useless Cycle Parking : A survey of poor parking facilities in Trafford and surrounding areas" which commented that:

"Sadly, the lockers are too small for any bike larger than a mountain bike. Another problem with this type of locker is that any bikes with full mud-guards going round the rear wheel will find it gets damaged" and that "It can also be quite difficult to lift the bike up onto the rear wheel and manoeuvre it into the locker."

The GMCC report also listed the dimensions of the GMPTE cycle lockers that had been tested in 2008. These were:


Dimensions (Locker)    Dimensions (My Bike):
         183 cm (L)                 189 cm (L)
           68 cm (W)                  66 cm (W)
         110 cm (H)                114 cm (H)

More details of the GMPTE Bicycle Lockers Users Club (BLUC) are available here.

Happy consulting!