Park That Bike

Previous posts on this blog have highlighted the need for much better provision of secure cycle parking across Greater Manchester - at both public and private sector locations. See here for the latest blog post or click on the Cycle Parking cloud label.

There are many research reports that highlight the importance of secure cycle parking as one of the factors that will influence people to cycle. 


For example, research published in 1996 (*) highlighted how 63% of respondents listed 'secure cycle parking' as one of the key incentives that would increase their likelihood to cycle. (See Table 3).

Whilst, many companies and organisations have made progress in providing better cycle parking and other cycle infrastructure for their staff - there is still a long way to go for cycle parking facilities in public spaces and for people visiting businesses and organisations and who visit by bicycle.

A recently published report 'Greater Manchester - Cycling Progress Report', (GMTU Report 1637 January 2011 summarises the number of cycle parking locations across Greater Manchester along with a breakdown of the number of locations per local authority. (See Table 20 below).

Am not sure how accurate these figures are - and some Council cycling officers I have spoken too say that they are under-estimates - but clearly some of the local authorities in Greater Manchester have a long way to go in terms of the provision of cycle parking in public spaces.




There are a couple of web-based cycle parking tools that may help to identify where more cycle parking provision is required.

1) Park That Bike offers a website "that enables you to comment on cycle parking in any part of the UK.  People can comment on cycle parking both on-highway, in public spaces, and at key destinations such as railway stations, leisure centres, libraries and surgeries. All comments and suggestions gathered by the site are sent to the relevant local authority."

 

The website explains that ParkThatBike.info is a "free service that enables people to request new or additional cycle parking, or to comment on existing facilities." Users can...

• Identify places where cycle parking is needed
• Report existing cycle parking that is damaged
• Report out-dated and badly designed facilities

 The aim is to...

• Show where there is a clear demand for improved cycle parking
• Help councils develop effective cycle parking programmes that offer good value
• Improve the quality and quantity of cycle parking across the UK

2) Cycle Parking Heat Map - enables visual comparison of bike parking density around the world.

Gregory Williams has created a cycle parking heat map that shows the bicycle parking available around the world. The default map views cycle parking in Canterbury, but you can zoom out to  see a nice comparison between bike parking in your local area and around the world.

If anyone has experience of using these tools for reporting cycle parking requirements in Greater Manchester we would love to hear what sort of response(s) you have received from local councils or companies.

(*) Hopkinson P.; Wardman M. (1996) 'Evaluating the demand for new cycle facilities', Volume 3, Number 4, pp. 241-249(9).

Pedal Powered Ancoats

Fancy a local history tour with a difference?  Then you might want to try the Pedal Powered Ancoats trip.

Described on the Quaytickets booking form as being a:

"venture into Ancoats, 'the world's first industrial suburb', not on foot but by bike.  Tour Guides Kate Dibble and Emma Fox lead you on a tour of the towering mills and the pioneering industrial canals that made Manchester ‘Cottonopolis’. 

The industrialisation of Ancoats was so intense and dramatic, even by Manchester's own standards, that by 1849 it was stated that "Ancoats...is to Manchester what Manchester is to England".  Ancoats is being considered for UNESCO World Heritage Site status; come and see why.   You’ll hear stories of the wretched squalor, the teenage gangs called scuttlers, Little Italy, ice cream wars, glass making, early aircraft, music, and unique architecture.  Pedal into the 21st century to watch the former 'Cardroom Estate' being transformed into trendy New Islington.  Peep into a tunnel, a bell tower, and a room in a mill walled up since the war.  Explore Angel Meadow where policemen walked round in threes.  By the end of the tour you’ll be able to say that you’ve ridden down every street in Manchester.

Tour starts at the junction of Great Ancoats and Redhill Street, bring your own bike.  It lasts approximately two hours and price includes a drink and a cake.  Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult. Saturday 5th March.  Start time: 1pm."

PS I don't know anything about this tour and unfortunately I am busy on that Saturday but it sounds interesting.... if anyone goes along please post a comment on this blog.  

Happiness is.... cycling to work !

Well probably not a great surprise to anyone who regularly cycles but it is nice that the all-round benefits of cycling to work, as well as for leisure/utility trips, are becoming more widely recognised...

A report published in 2010 by the Young Foundation entitled 'The State of Happiness - Can public policy shape people’s wellbeing and resilience?' highlighted recent research that illustrated how "commuting in crowded conditions and long commutes are both associated with lower levels of frustration tolerance and job stability as well as with poor health and work absences." Basically, as shown in the graph below, the longer the commute time the less happy people are.

But it is not just the length of commuting time that is important - it is also how much control people have over their journey times that plays a large part in the stress and frustration of commuting to work.  Traffic congestion, roadworks and finding somewhere to park can mean that for many journeys by car or public transport there is little control over the reliability of journey times - which can lead to stress and frustration - or unhappiness.

A more recent report by the New Economics Foundation 'Measuring our progress : The power of well-being' highlighted that "studies comparing the experiences of commuting by bicycle and car report that cyclists find their mode of transport at least as flexible and convenient as those who use cars, with lower stress and greater feelings of freedom, relaxation and excitement." (*)

Or put more simply, cycling provides a more reliable and controllable means of travelling to work (or the shops, pub, school etc) and when you add in the cost-savings and health-benefits of regular cycling then.... cycling can really make you happier !

(*) Anable, J. & Gatersleben, B. (2005). All work and no play? The role of instrumental and affective factors in work and leisure journeys by different travel modes. Transportation Research Part A 39, 163–181.

Cycle parking?... my Kingdom for some cycle parking

To somewhat massacre Shakespeare's "A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!" quote from Richard III, it would appear that Trafford does not fare well when it comes to the provision of places to park your bicycle.

In a recently published report "Greater Manchester - Cycling Progress Report" (GMTU Report 1637 January 2011, not yet available online) it is noted that whilst analysis of "cycle trips into most key centres and cycle carriage on trains suggest that there is a continuing increase in cycle usage within Greater Manchester, with the exception of cycle parking in key locations where a slight decrease has occurred since 2008." [Wow - Shakespeare eat your heart out!]

But the report does provide a handy little table that summarises the number of cycle parking locations across Greater Manchester along with a breakdown of the number of locations per local authority. (See Table 20 below)

According to these figures, Trafford would appear to be in the relegation zone.  But then again, when it comes to considering 'parking' issues Trafford Council seems to have trouble with the concept that bicycles need cycle parking facilities too and that to encourage more people to cycle - they need somewhere safe and secure to park their bikes!

First we had the recent consultation on the Local Implementation Plan (LIP) from Trafford Council (1) which had an entire section focused on 'Parking' (page 37) listing 12 objectives (subject to funding of course!) - unfortunately none of these related directly to cycle parking. The LIP consultation closed on 31st January 2011, so you have missed your chance to comment - but those nice people at Love Your Bike did point out this little oversight [as well as some bigger ones - Ed] to Trafford Council.  The LYB submission should be available at the Love Your Bike website.

Well after all that excitement, along comes Trafford Council's survey on Parking facilities. Now, perhaps you are hoping that the Council's concept of 'parking' would have broadened to include cycle parking.  Unfortunately closer inspection of the survey indicates that any such hopes will be dashed. 

If you want to, you can complete the survey here. And whilst, your prose doesn't need to reach Shakespearean heights - perhaps you would like to suggest to Trafford Council that they broaden their thinking about 'parking' facilities in Trafford.

Notes:

(1) Transport in Trafford: A Local Area Implementation Plan. Draft for Consultation, January 2011