It’s always the same, there is never enough cycle parking but always enough car parking. If just one car parking space was given over to cycle parking, even using traditional Sheffield Stands there would be enough parking for at least eight bicycles.
How can we help? Well, we have been in the cycle parking business for a decade now: at first we managed the Cycle Hub at Sheffield Station on behalf of East Midlands Trains, and since then we have tried to expand our offer. We’ve provided bicycle racks for cafes and other businesses to promote cycling to their establishments, and these can still be seen around the city at Peddler Market in Neepsend, Copper Pot Cafe on Division Street, Motore Cafe in Bingham Park and South Street Kitchen at Park Hill. We want to hear from more retailers, cafes and other businesses take us up on this offer, and see how many people we can get cycling for their daily dose. Our racks are lightweight and easy to store, and having them close to where people are seated makes their bicycles more secure.
Since then we’ve helped other businesses to include cycle parking in their offer to customers. We’re working with Northern Railways, Sheffield City Council and others to provide good quality high security provision, but we’ve not, and never will, give up on trying to get more ad hoc simple cycle parking installed across the city too. We want businesses to realise the potential of providing cycle parking by offering temporary stands, which can inform the need for provision, not just in the public realm, but in private locations too.
We want to offer businesses free use of our racks for three months over this summer to allow them to assess the need and best location for bicycle parking provision.
If you know a business that doesn’t have sufficient (or even any) cycle parking provision then get them to contact us, or if you’re from a business looking to provide cycle parking and don’t really know where to start, then please get in touch.
Contact us at neepsend@russellsbicycleshed.co.uk