Anyone know if there's any bike parking in the car park, or do I have to leave my bike out on the main road at the stands just by the hotel entrance?
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure
Bike parking at the Zoo?
(14 posts)-
Posted 5 years ago #
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If you're attending an event, there are drainpipes you can lock to at the Mansion House. That's what I've done a couple of times. A u-lock probably won't reach/fit. The people in the wee guard house are generally OK with you cycling up the access road if you tell them you're not visiting the Zoo per se.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Hmm, I am accompanying the mother to a "play at zoo keeper for a while" thing this afternoon. Probably fine leaving bike outside but that area feels a bit abandoned at times on weekdays. I have the good D-lock with me though.
Posted 5 years ago # -
I attended a work do at the Mansionhouse a few weeks ago. A number of us attended on bikes and were told no parking on site and to park on St Johns Rd. My colleague had bike stolen within minutes of our arrival. He was using cable lock, so recommend good D-lock.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Bike racks across the road at the Forestry Commission place might be worth considering?
Posted 5 years ago # -
As a family, we always used the Sheffield stands on the road side, however these could be busy (in addition to the vulnerability BaseCut notes).
One could also use the pedestrian railings in the middle of the road as overspill - perpendicular to the carriageway at either end should not obstruct the island unduly.
Robert
Posted 5 years ago # -
As Frenchy says above there are bike racks across the road at Silvan House (FC/SEPA/SNH) but they are normally pretty busy. Much more secure than the ones on the street though.
Posted 5 years ago # -
The Zoo doesn't really want people to arrive by bike, I think.
There is no cycle parking except some out of view stands on the road. Locking a bike to the railings outside the ticket office is verboten.
But, I said, you provide a car park for zoo patrons?
Yes, they said.
And there's no bicycle parking in the car park?
No, they said, sorry.
So, given the theft-prone nature of the on-street bike parking... are you sure that's ideal?
"We encourage people to travel to the Zoo by public transport or by bike or foot."
Ah, I see. But you don't actually have any bike parking?
...no.
Do you think maybe that sends a message that people arriving by bike aren't really welcome? Where would you suggest a family with a cargo bike leave it?
"Anyone arriving by bike would of course park it at their own risk."
Hmmmm.Posted 5 years ago # -
The response unhurt received is one of several reasons why we stopped going to The Zoo.....
Posted 5 years ago # -
Far from alone in the list of "major tourist attractions in Edinburgh with totally inadequate bike parking", of course.
Edinburgh Castle, National Gallery, Holyrood House...
Posted 5 years ago # -
At least at Holyrood there's the semi-adequate stands in front of Parliament. But, indeed. Portrait Gallery no great shakes either.
Anyway. I'm going to ask the Zoo why they can't have some bike parking in the car park on Twitter I think...
Posted 5 years ago # -
Smacks of mad nut job running the organisation with high gammon percentage body mass in my prejudiced opinion
Posted 5 years ago # -
I'm going to ask the Zoo why they can't have some bike parking in the car park
While you're at it, why not ask the Holiday Inn why they too have no provision* for bikes? Oh of course, I forgot, no-one with an ounce of sanity would ever go to a hotel† with their bicycle.
* If they did, it would just get used for storing wheelie bins.
† or board a trainPosted 5 years ago # -
@unhurt
The Zoo have a “Visit Scotland” “Gold standard” “Green Tourism Business Scheme”
You could threaten to take the matter up with Visit Scotland & have them stripped of the award if they don’t improve their bike parking el-pronto
Also, we have family membership, and I can quite easily tell them to cancel it for next year...
Posted 5 years ago #
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