Parking survey update

STACC is looking at bike parking in St Albans. It's a long task, but we've made a start. Last Friday I spent most of the afternoon getting rained on and surveying bike parking spaces in the city centre. I also met local councillor Beric Read to talk about how we can get hold of more spaces, especially to cope with higher demand and reduced space on market days.


Overall the city centre area is fairly well served for bike parking spaces. Most of the racks are Sheffield/Penny Farthing type; there is one site of substandard 'wheel bender' racks which don't seem to be used much. Some of the bike parking sites between St Peter's street and Drovers Way - Waddington Road and the alley next to BHS- don't seem to be being used. Beric will look at what signage could be installed to point them out but if you can't find a space look for one there! In the city centre there is space to expand the existing sites by filling in gaps and a couple of places where new racks can be installed but these will need to be approved by private landlords and/or Highways/Conservation/Planning and funding will have to come from somewhere.

Away from the city centre bike rack provision isn't so good. We have a fairly large list of requirements which I'm going through, I will map these up and talk to Beric to see what can be done. I'll continue existing surveying racks and adding them to the map. I'll publish the demand map once it's finished.