At our AGM in July, we announced our priorities for the coming year. We’ll be posting regularly to give you more information about our ideas, and what we’re doing to help them become reality.
As with everything we do, if you agree, have your say. We speak and campaign on behalf of our members BUT to build a case for change the council also want to hear from you.
If you would like to see cycle storage on your street or in your ward, get in touch with your local councillors and let them know. You can find their contact details here.
You can also contact our new Council Leader Cllr Karen Gilgour at [email protected] and our new Cabinet member for Transport and Climate Change at [email protected]
This month we’re looking at Cycle Storage. In last month’s newsletter our survey asked about storage near home and and the majority of responses highlighted secure storage at destinations as a high priority.
This begs the obvious question does this mean on street cycle parking just isn’t needed in Newcastle? We think not! It’s more likely that with the majority of our members already cycling, they are a self selecting sample that have already overcome that issue in the first place.
But what about those for whom lack of storage solutions mean that cycling isn’t something they would even consider? Given the pre-war housing in large swathes of the city, prevalence of Tyneside flats and many HMOs for students, young professionals and those needing support to make ends meet*, we suspect that cycle storage is an issue in Newcastle, and moreover that it is more likely to impact those on lower incomes. In fact the Sustrans Tyneside Walking and Cycling Index 2023 showed that 48% of people would like access to secure cycle storage at or near home.
Fortunately, with political will and a comparitively small amount of funding this is something that is easily fixed. Other cities have already led the way with onstreet cycle hangars including London, Bristol, Brighton, Glasgow.
Companies like Cyclehoop and Falco already offer off the shelf solutions to council that include management, to minimise the ongoing adminstration. The storage hangars take up only half a standard parking space and hold up to six bikes.
Thought obviously needs to be given to cost. Edinburgh have helpfully published their most recent evaluation and costings for their scheme. Most cities charge ~£6 per month per bike. Subsidising by this even a small amount would mean an ongoing cost to a cash strapped council. But given that so much on street parking in the city is absolutely free perhaps there are innovative solutions that would encourage climate friendly transport and discourage private storage in public space?
Our view is that a trial could and should be started as soon as possible in Newcastle and we’ll be writing to the council to ask for their commitment to developing a scheme. Agree? Let them know.
*Did you know for example that if you are single, without children and claim Universal Credit you can only claim for a single room in an HMO until you’re 35?