Intersting blog about cycle parking at Tesco

drossall
Posts: 6115
Joined: 5 Jan 2007, 10:01pm
Location: North Hertfordshire

Re: Intersting blog about cycle parking at Tesco

Post by drossall »

Nettled Shin wrote:Bit late to this thread, but I've seen someone actually pushing his bike along the aisles of a 24hr Tesco (it was late at night, so quiet). I wished to myself that I would be that brave, as it would save a lot of time. If I did it at a supermarket where self-scanning is in operation, I could just throw items in my panniers, pay, and cycle off.
Since wheelchairs and trolleys are permitted, why not bicycles? Do any people here actually take their bikes into the supermarket?

No, but there was a discussion in the Bike Commuters group in LinkedIn recently, and it did appear quite common in the States :?

WH Smith's in Llandudno did let me park my bike just inside the shop recently when I forgot my lock, while I nipped upstairs to buy some maps (I'd forgotten those too...).
Hypocacculus
Posts: 316
Joined: 23 Mar 2010, 2:00pm

Re: Intersting blog about cycle parking at Tesco

Post by Hypocacculus »

I tried to take my bike into our local Tesco but was stopped by the security guard.

The reason I was trying to get it in there was because I'd dropped my keys whilst loading my shopping, got home and found I couldn't get in my house. I returned to Tesco, couldn't find my keys and of course couldn't lock my bike so decided to take it with me to the customer services desk. I explained my problem and he still wouldn't let me take it in. As it was my custom Mercian, I got a bit assertive at this point so we compromised and he agreed to keep an eye on it. Fortunately my keys had been handed in so all was OK.
sarahinaberdeen
Posts: 46
Joined: 30 Sep 2009, 2:57pm

Re: Intersting blog about cycle parking at Tesco

Post by sarahinaberdeen »

The shop I work in has cycle parking of the bottom of the car park end on variety. I have yet to see a customer use it - most lock their bike to the kayak racks outside the door or bring it in. Both are fine with us.

None of the shop staff use our cycle parking either. 50 yards away there is parking at the college with proper stands and a roof.
elmo
Posts: 24
Joined: 11 Aug 2009, 1:08am

Re: Intersting blog about cycle parking at Tesco

Post by elmo »

I regularly push my bike around the local coop and have taken it into my bank. If they kick me out I will spend and bank elsewhere. The last time I 'left' a shop I wrote to the area manager explaining why I would not be back and pointed out that my annual expenditure in the said shop was in the region of £3000. I returned all the money off coupons they sent me. I have never been back.
Elmo
Vorpal
Moderator
Posts: 20700
Joined: 19 Jan 2009, 3:34pm
Location: Not there ;)

Re: Intersting blog about cycle parking at Tesco

Post by Vorpal »

drossall wrote:No, but there was a discussion in the Bike Commuters group in LinkedIn recently, and it did appear quite common in the States :?


Many places in the States, cycle parking is hard to come by. Even in places that have relatively high cycling modal share, once you get out the centre &/or university areas, there is little cycle parking available. And some communities have ordinances (local laws) against locking up to sign posts & things, as well.

Shops in general have wider aisles and more space. So, many cyclists come to the logical conclusion that the best thing to do is to take the bike into the shop.
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
arnsider
Posts: 449
Joined: 27 Jul 2011, 12:44am
Location: Carnforth, Lancashire

Re: Intersting blog about cycle parking at Tesco

Post by arnsider »

My experience of parking my bike at my local Tesco is bad.
Carnforth Tesco has I think four sheffield stands under cover and just to one side of the store entrance.
After Covid took hold, the entrance was modified to allow for a one way entry and exit.
Cycle parking was on the entry side. Previous to this, items like plants and pallets of fetilisers etc were under cover on the other side of the entrance. They were now moved in the way of the cycle parking, taking up all the cycle spaces. No sign was posted advising of any alternatives.
I e mailed Tesco's ceo complaining and a guy telephoned me assurring all would be put right and some cycle provision would be returned.
Not so, and to this day, there is no cycle provision whatever. I rode there the other week and was told to chain my e bike to the rails down with the trolleys!
Insulting, Condescending and down right disingenuous, or what?
User avatar
mjr
Posts: 20308
Joined: 20 Jun 2011, 7:06pm
Location: Norfolk or Somerset, mostly
Contact:

Re: Intersting blog about cycle parking at Tesco

Post by mjr »

You may also like:
Grrr - Lidl replaces Sheffield stands with Wheel Benders viewtopic.php?f=7&t=130166
and
New supermarket without cycle parking viewtopic.php?f=6&t=135507

which are both more recent discussions of similar topics.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
Carlton green
Posts: 3645
Joined: 22 Jun 2019, 12:27pm

Re: Intersting blog about cycle parking at Tesco

Post by Carlton green »

I’d believed that planning laws required new developments to have cycle parking, but perhaps that’s a local rather than national ruling? Whatever, I do think that the matter (compulsory provision of cycle parking) is worth raising with Cycling U.K. and wonder how that might be done via this (their) forum.
Don’t fret, it’s OK to: ride a simple old bike; ride slowly, walk, rest and admire the view; ride off-road; ride in your raincoat; ride by yourself; ride in the dark; and ride one hundred yards or one hundred miles. Your bike and your choices to suit you.
thirdcrank
Posts: 36776
Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm

Re: Intersting blog about cycle parking at Tesco

Post by thirdcrank »

Carlton green wrote: 28 Jul 2021, 5:46pm I’d believed that planning laws required new developments to have cycle parking, but perhaps that’s a local rather than national ruling? Whatever, I do think that the matter (compulsory provision of cycle parking) is worth raising with Cycling U.K. and wonder how that might be done via this (their) forum.
It's a while since I was involved with any of this but "new developments" doesn't mean "forever." ie Once the building is up, things like cycle parking can be scrapped.
User avatar
mjr
Posts: 20308
Joined: 20 Jun 2011, 7:06pm
Location: Norfolk or Somerset, mostly
Contact:

Re: Intersting blog about cycle parking at Tesco

Post by mjr »

Carlton green wrote: 28 Jul 2021, 5:46pm I’d believed that planning laws required new developments to have cycle parking, but perhaps that’s a local rather than national ruling? Whatever, I do think that the matter (compulsory provision of cycle parking) is worth raising with Cycling U.K. and wonder how that might be done via this (their) forum.
It's bizarre: there's a national ruling that there should be local policies requiring it: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/national-pl ... rt#para106

I have no idea why there isn't simply a national ruling on it, but this is the same for car parking, so at least there's some sort of equality there.

I don't think you can raise anything with CUK directly through this forum. Someone needs to put it into https://www.cyclinguk.org/contact (and let us know what they say, ideally).
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
User avatar
mjr
Posts: 20308
Joined: 20 Jun 2011, 7:06pm
Location: Norfolk or Somerset, mostly
Contact:

Re: Intersting blog about cycle parking at Tesco

Post by mjr »

thirdcrank wrote: 28 Jul 2021, 6:23pm It's a while since I was involved with any of this but "new developments" doesn't mean "forever." ie Once the building is up, things like cycle parking can be scrapped.
I'm pretty sure that is not the case. Permission for the building is normally conditional on the cycle parking, so if the parking gets scrapped without asking further permission*, then pretty much anyone can ask for planning law to be enforced. Usually that will mean that the parking gets reinstated, but if it really came to a crunch, that could give the local council power to scrap the rest of the building, or prevent it from opening, depending on how the condition was worded.

* - I am aware of one case locally where permission was conditional on building a footpath and cycle track to the retail park before any shop opened (because there is not even a pavement along its road yet), but then the developer asked further permission to open one shop and it was quietly granted for reasons I don't agree with. So having the permission conditional is only half the battle: we still have to pressure councils to stick to their decisions and not back down when faced with a Chewbacca Defence from the developer's lawyers.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
Post Reply