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Hi all,
The City of Edinburgh Council is thinking of installing specific parking infrastructure for cargo bikes. Does anyone here own a cargo bike and want to suggest a parking spot?
This more focused on the destinations and commuting than parking overnight.
All suggestions welcome. :)
Thanks.
Interesting.
Why?
One advantage of bikes is that (within reason) they can park anywhere.
But it’s better to have something to lock to (and lean on to prevent falling over).
Cargo bikes don’t need things to lean on, are likely to come with decent locks and, if working, won’t stay anywhere for long.
As far as I am aware yellow lines and vehicle parking restrictions don’t apply to bikes - even wide or electric ones.
Am I wrong?
If not, is CEC planning to introduce restrictions??
Presumably something like...?
https://www.londongreencycles.co.uk/innovative-and-safe-cargo-bike-parking/
It's difficult to suggest a destination, as folk will be using their cargo bikes for particular purposes.
Shopping destinations seem like a good start, so pick one on a good cycle route.
Stop sniggering at the back - I'm sure there's at least one shopping centre with good cycle connectivity...
I'd propose Cameron Toll, but that's just because it's my local, not because it is accessible by bike!
Robert
“I'd propose Cameron Toll, but that's just because it's my local, not because it is accessible by bike!”
Could be much better (especially from Inch Park), but not as bad as that one in the west...
Both are of course private property.
The indifference to, or incompetence in providing for, bike users remains shockingly bad.
From link -
“
With the ever growing number of cyclists in the capital, dedicated parking facilities at home and whilst commuting need to be increased considerably and accordingly. Safe and well positioned parking spots are hard to get by in some of the most popular locations especially if you are using them after the morning rush-hour. Trying to find a suitable spot in some of London tube stations has become a real challenge, even more so if you are the proud owner of a cargo bike! Thankfully, help is on its way.
Safe cycling parking facilities are an inherent part of building a great cycle-friendly environment, so we are delighted to announce that we recently worked with the award winning designer of innovative bicycle parking solutions Cyclehoop and tried a clever and unique design dedicated to cargo bike parking.
“
So, essentially a ‘London problem’.
Or perhaps a Copenhagen one.
“
In a city with 40,000 cargo bikes, practical parking solutions are vital. Copenhagenize Design Co. developed a design for on-street parking for cargo bikes and promptly teamed up with Cyclehoop in London to develop it. The Copenhagenize Bar is the result.
“
https://copenhagenize.eu/product-design
Roll-on 40,000 cargo bikes in Edinburgh.
Perhaps find room for a special rack at Haymarket - and a lot more ordinary ones.
Outside @Kim's house, obviously.
Pretty much all of the retail parks, Craigleith, Fort Kinnard, Straiton, Hermiston, Chesser, Slateford, Inglis Green, etc. have poor bike parking facilities. I'd start there. Particularly outside the DIY stores and supermarkets.
That massive Morrison’s at Crewe Toll is accessible from the NEPN if it is shopping centres we are proposing now.
Is this thread how we propose suitable places? Hello to the Active Travel Team if it is. Some random suggestions follow. Presumably already considered?
Chambers Street at the museum?
Near the crossroads at Middle Meadow Walk?
Near the Leamngton Lift Bridge when it reopens shortly?
Would there also be a charging point for lecky bikes? Would need a cover then I suppose?
The Gyle has reasonable cycle provision... to the perimeter of it's car park. It then has reasonable cycle parking facilities near the building. It's just a shame they didn't think to connect the two. What are the facilities like at the 3 council soft play centres: Commonwealth Pool, Tumbles and EICA Ratho. They are all places I could envisage a family with a cargo bike visiting.
Could the signage for motor cycle parking spots be changed to explicitly encourage their use for cargo bikes?
“I'd start there. Particularly outside the DIY stores and supermarkets.”
Perhaps ‘we’/Spokes should start an organised campaign targeting ALL large supermarkets (especially those with car parking) and ‘retail parks’/‘leisure destinations’ asking what their plans for improving bike parking (and access routes) are.
CEC could offer expert advice on type, quantity and location for the bike parking.
Obviously the site owners should pay for it - though there might be some subsidies available like for electric (car) charging??!
I know there has already been work on this (Spokes) but needs to be annual/ongoing.
Perhaps a prize for ‘best’ and ‘most improved’?
If I were to be the Devil's advocate I'd suggest there's no point improving parking until the roads are safe for bikes of all stripes.
Put any money there is into segregation and the parking can be sorted later.
“If I were to be the Devil's advocate
...
Put any money there is into segregation and the parking can be sorted later.”
Nothing is (entirely) binary.
Needs both and (much) more.
And better balance between provision for motors and bikes.
AND much better provision for pedestrians.
And...
EICA at Ratho could really do with some bike parking at canal level (for cargo bikes & 'normal' bikes) as very few people can push their bikes up the steep steps.
Cargo bike parking (actually any bike parking) should be accessible from road via dropped kerbs, or better yet, on the road like a car parking space, so less likely to come directly in contact with pedestrians. Other than that, most bike racks are usable with 2-wheeled cargo bike, though tight spots means it's difficult for another bike to use same rack. Bigger boxes & trikes would need more space.
I don't have a cargo bike but my "big rig" is a heavy electric bike and a substantial trailer for my son. If a cycle rack is positioned perpendicular to the road then I can't really use it as the length of the rig impedes passers by. If a standard Sheffield stand is parallel to the road (and the path is wide) then I can use it. Example is the racks outside the Botanics west gate = good. I use a long cable from trailer to rack and another to secure the bike.
@IWRATS - while it's true that dedicated parking isn't that important for a standard two-wheeler (especially if it's not that desirable to thieves) - cargo bikes, adaptive cycles and e-bikes are a bit pricey and bulky to be leaving attached to the nearest lamppost. In particular, taking a car parking space and repurposing it for family/adaptive bikes is a powerful statement of where a city's priorities lie.
@Sallyhinch
I totally get that. Was chatting to lovely cargobike rider at Cameron Toll the other day about that very subject.
I'm just punting the notion that doing it this way is putting the bak before the fiets. It could be like the cycle-friendly employer thing where you get a shower after the cycle to work you're too scared of getting smashed to actually do.
I'm with @Morningsider - segregated infrastructure in first and everything else follows. Otherwise it could just be improved facilities for the handful of nuts able to tolerate current conditions.
“taking a car parking space and repurposing it for family/adaptive bikes is a powerful statement of where a city's priorities lie“
Yes, but why do I still get the impression that CEC isn’t ready to do that?
@IWRATS - while logically this is probably correct, it will take aaaages to get enough segregated cycle lanes everywhere and there's a constant danger of political backlash. A few hundred pounds spent on some very visible cargo and adaptive bike parking on the routes & destinations that are already cycle friendly will do a huge amount to counter the 'nobody uses it / it's only for fit lycra louts' argument, and it also rolls out the welcome mat for family cycling. Nobody's fought harder for investment in proper segregated infrastructure than me, but I completely recognise the political need for softer measures alongside and in parallel to the big stuff.
“Nobody's fought harder for investment in proper segregated infrastructure than me”
Almost certainly true in Scotland. (With a fair amount of success too.)
“I completely recognise the political need for softer measures alongside and in parallel to the big stuff”
In cycling “softer” often means advertising campaigns of questionable value and signs saying things like Quiet or Family advertising compromised ‘infrastructure’.
I remember years ago a large number of cycle racks appeared on a long dual carriageway divider in the middle of a very busy road (I think it was Cromwell Road - similar to this).
It seemed like a mad idea and London wasn’t that much of a cycling city then.
Take up was slow, but eventually they all got filled.
To me 'softer' is things like cycle training, subsidies to buy bikes, open streets events, bike hire, parking provision and cycle friendly employers etc. I agree that sticking up a poster saying cycling is fun and good for you is pretty useless
Indeed, I blogged about this in another lifetime back in 2007 https://disgruntledcommuter.wordpress.com/2007/06/18/made-to-measure/
@ Sally
Your soft list is good.
“I agree that sticking up a poster saying cycling is fun and good for you is pretty useless”
I’ve never really recovered from all the lamppost stuff proclaiming the wonders of the QBiC.
In spite of all the efforts of CCE, including taking Andrew Burns on a ride from KB and HIS subsequent blog post, it remains RUBBISH.
I wonder how much of the arguments about soft measures are down to both sides having different ideas in their heads about what those are?
(and indeed, about most other topics)
“I agree that sticking up a poster saying cycling is fun and good for you is pretty useless”
I'm not so sure. The automotive industry has made a packet out of successfully selling the idea, contrary to all evidence, that buying the latest model will magically make all traffic disappear and driving at top speed through the highlands a life-enhancing experience.
A few quality posters showing smiling happy people on their bicycles would not be unwelcome in my book, even if it were for the purpose of selling bicycles.
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