Funding or Subsidy for Cycling Infrastructure

[the dark lord]

So i am based in Greater Manchester where as we know huge amounts of money have been made available for active travel infrastructure, bee lines and what not.

I have commuted by bike daily for almost 6 years having re-discovered cycling. Until next month. I have been really fortunate, my employer has had under cover (open garage) storage for my bike, a large shower / changing rooms and plentiful locker space. Some years ago i got authority for a £20 spend for some racks and a coat hook for the garages. We also got a drying room provided.

Next month I rather unfortunately move to a different location this building basically has outdoor bike racks (no sides just a small roof shelter) and leaves the bikes open to the elements. Showers changing and storage areas are much more restricted.
I have availed myself of a cheap plastic cover, but I would like to see better storage installed. There are various challenges of course, not least the fact the building is PFI and a "we dont provide covered storage for your car" attitudes.

Now in autumn my young lad will start primary school. I currently take him to nursery on the bike and would like him to continue this at school. My neighbours daughter also rides to school, but dad has to bring her bike back and take it up again at finishing time.
Once the school place is confirmed I would like to approach the school with a view to getting some cycle storage installed.
I'm of the view if we are doing it, we are doing it properly and lets look at a secure dry store.

Is anyone aware of any schemes, government or otherwise that would provide assistance financially for bike storage?
I don't mind contributing to either scheme but would prefer not to pay for it all myself. But of course public sector (work) and schools being what they are, funding will always be an issue.

Bike storage (and work place facilities) is a key enabler for bike use and some of it over laps to other modes. Such as being able to store work clothes and kit.

Finally has anyone any good examples of bike stores for multiple users. I am aware of the Asgard etc products but the issue with those are mainly that its "one big store" with one key.

[mumbojumbo]

Most schools had bike sheds,for use by smokers etc.Why not revive their use?Also try the PTA who raise funds for school use.

[pete75]

Why do people in this country thing showers, changing facilities and lockers are necessary if they cycle to work? Go to any Dutch city at going to work time and you'll see hundreds of people cycling in suits, smart skirts etc direct to their office jobs. If cycling is to become a normal means of transport it needs to become a normal activity, not just a sport that requires special clothing and a shower after a ride.

[the dark lord]

Most schools had bike sheds,for use by smokers etc.Why not revive their use?Also try the PTA who raise funds for school use.

Sadly not this one. They have some bunkers but that's inside the playgrounds and dor their stuff.

No issues with working with the pta. But looking for sour es of extra funding. I think the Scottish version of sustrans have something set up

[the dark lord]

Why do people in this country thing showers, changing facilities and lockers are necessary if they cycle to work? Go to any Dutch city at going to work time and you'll see hundreds of people cycling in suits, smart skirts etc direct to their office jobs. If cycling is to become a normal means of transport it needs to become a normal activity, not just a sport that requires special clothing and a shower after a ride.

Showers I can cope without.

Buy tomorrow it's forecast snow. I'd quite like to change and dry my shoes. We're also not allowed to wear our work gear to and from work. Sheila will probably object if I strip off in the office.

Still need somewhere to park the push iron too. Ideally dry and secure

[TrevA]

It all depends on how far you commute. In my working life, I had various commutes ranging from 3 to 21 miles each way. For 3 miles, I’d cycle in my work clothes and not bother changing or showering, but anything longer than that and I’d change. In my very first workplace, I had to change in the toilet, but most subsequent workplaces had showers, even buildings I worked in 40 years ago.

Cycle storage facilities have varied from open to the public, to behind locked gates that you need a swipe card to access. Rarely were there adequate places to lock your bike to. You had to find a girder or pipe to lock to, or an out of the way corner to leave your bike.

Can’t help on the funding. I worked for the government for 25 years and we (cyclists at work) used the Green agenda to try and push for better facilities for cyclists, with some success. We managed to secure a “pool” Brompton for each office, to facilitate train travel and cut down on car miles and CO2 emissions.

[AndyK]

Why do people in this country thing showers, changing facilities and lockers are necessary if they cycle to work? Go to any Dutch city at going to work time and you'll see hundreds of people cycling in suits, smart skirts etc direct to their office jobs. If cycling is to become a normal means of transport it needs to become a normal activity, not just a sport that requires special clothing and a shower after a ride.

It's because of the earnest "How can we do something while ignoring the elephant in the room?" approach to encouraging cycle commuting in this country.

Imagine you're a small-to-medium size employer. You do a survey of your staff: "Why don't you cycle to work?"
"I would worry about my bike being stolen."
So you put in secure bike stores. "How's that?"
"Oh great, but I would get hot and sweaty cycling to work and there are no showers."
So you put in showers.
"That's nice, I'll use those when I get back from driving to and from my lunchtime five-a-side game. Nowhere to store my clothes, though, so I can't cycle to work."
So you provide lockers. "Ready to cycle in now?"
"Well, I'm out of practice, not sure I could ride a bike all the way."
So you arrange bike training sessions and a support scheme.
"Er... no.. because the roads are too scary["
"Pardon?"
"I said, the roads are too scary. Sorry."
And of course you can't fix that. Only the council can fix that, but while they're happy to run schemes that subsidise your bike racks and showers and lockers and training, fixing the traffic would require real money and real political bravery, so it's much easier to make token gestures.

[Vorpal]

There were cycle parking grants available. Unfortunately the application deadline has expired https://assets.ctfassets.net/nv7y93idf4 ... ts_DEC.pdf

That said, maybe you could contact active travel at Transport for Greater Manchester. Or the area cycling officer?

[thirdcrank]

I've occasionally had to struggle for a shower: in the old Batley police station the changing facilities were in the former superintendent's house next-door, complete with ancient bathroom, but if commuting in all weathers more than a short distance, making some effort and having to be smart at work, then getting changed is ime unavoidable. I misunderstood "cycling infrastructure" in the title or I'd have mentioned the value of boiler rooms sooner.

While I can see that if somebody doesn't want to ride a bike they may come up with all sorts of excuses, but the implication that somebody who does ride regularly who looks for decent, secure bike storage, somewhere to wash, change and hopefully dry wet togs is some sort of wimp is imo way off the mark.

[mumbojumbo]

[/
Unread post by pete75 » 23 Feb 2022, 7:56pm

Why do people in this country thing showers, changing facilities and lockers are necessary if they cycle to work? Go to any Dutch city at going to work time and you'll see hundreds of people cycling in suits, smart skirts etc direct to their office jobs. If cycling is to become a normal means of transport it needs to become a normal activity, not just a sport that requires special clothing and a shower after a ride.quote]

The Dutch ride on flat roads and perspire less .Also the Dutch famously eschew deodorants.When playig for ManU van Nistelroy has a separate room on tour.He was relentlessly goaded by the Arsenal defence on account of his odour.

[pete75]

Why do people in this country thing showers, changing facilities and lockers are necessary if they cycle to work? Go to any Dutch city at going to work time and you'll see hundreds of people cycling in suits, smart skirts etc direct to their office jobs. If cycling is to become a normal means of transport it needs to become a normal activity, not just a sport that requires special clothing and a shower after a ride.

It's because of the earnest "How can we do something while ignoring the elephant in the room?" approach to encouraging cycle commuting in this country.

Imagine you're a small-to-medium size employer. You do a survey of your staff: "Why don't you cycle to work?"
"I would worry about my bike being stolen."
So you put in secure bike stores. "How's that?"
"Oh great, but I would get hot and sweaty cycling to work and there are no showers."
So you put in showers.
"That's nice, I'll use those when I get back from driving to and from my lunchtime five-a-side game. Nowhere to store my clothes, though, so I can't cycle to work."
So you provide lockers. "Ready to cycle in now?"
"Well, I'm out of practice, not sure I could ride a bike all the way."
So you arrange bike training sessions and a support scheme.
"Er... no.. because the roads are too scary["
"Pardon?"
"I said, the roads are too scary. Sorry."
And of course you can't fix that. Only the council can fix that, but while they're happy to run schemes that subsidise your bike racks and showers and lockers and training, fixing the traffic would require real money and real political bravery, so it's much easier to make token gestures.

Hmmm cycling is actually a safe activity.

[Vorpal]

I sweat a lot, and I don't actually have to cycle that far before I'd rather shower at work than at home. Do I *have* to? No, but it is a convenience that saves me time, trouble, and deodorant. I'm glad that most of my employers have provided facilities to do so.

Yes, people feeling safe is more important, but having a cycle-friendly work place makes a difference, too.

[Psamathe]

....
Now in autumn my young lad will start primary school. I currently take him to nursery on the bike and would like him to continue this at school. My neighbours daughter also rides to school, but dad has to bring her bike back and take it up again at finishing time.
Once the school place is confirmed I would like to approach the school with a view to getting some cycle storage installed.
I'm of the view if we are doing it, we are doing it properly and lets look at a secure dry store.

Is anyone aware of any schemes, government or otherwise that would provide assistance financially for bike storage?
I don't mind contributing to either scheme but would prefer not to pay for it all myself. But of course public sector (work) and schools being what they are, funding will always be an issue.
.....

(My opinions, I've no experience of such issues)
I'm unsure if you are after funding or your work bike facilities or for your child's school cycle facilities (or if they are one and the same).

Re: the school: if your talks with the school get no funding or improvement in facilities, maybe ask if they can approach ex-pupils maybe through an online "gofundme" (or whatever they are called online) or maybe if there are some ex-pupils with local businesses who would like bike sheds with a "funded by generous donations from ...". If the school has space but no money I can't see why they'd be against improvement, just unable to find the money and web funding things could be publicised through some school newsletter or if they do e-mail shots or sending kids home with a letter ...

(I have no idea about what constraints schools fact on such things, just thinking aloud).

Ian

[atoz]

Why do people in this country thing showers, changing facilities and lockers are necessary if they cycle to work? Go to any Dutch city at going to work time and you'll see hundreds of people cycling in suits, smart skirts etc direct to their office jobs. If cycling is to become a normal means of transport it needs to become a normal activity, not just a sport that requires special clothing and a shower after a ride.

That depends on the journey. In my case that would mean 8 miles with a couple of stiff climbs, including a sustained 1 in 6 ascent on the return leg. If that doesn't justify the kit I don't know what does. And changing when you get in means less odour. Some of us do jobs involving customer service. As for suits and skirts-you rarely see either these days. Most women wear pants for work now. Suits are for interviews nowadays, and often without a tie. Unless you're a male politician of course.

If you want to wear a skirt or dress, this will mean an inferior bike because the dropped tube compromises stiffness. My late Mum used to have a "ladies bike" as they used to be called. She hated the thing, hardly ever used it and nabbed my Raleigh Hustler as soon as I grew out of it, and of course wore pants riding it to work as a dinner lady. She never used the "ladies bike" for club rides of course, preferring a normal road bike. I know how horrible that "ladies bike" was to ride, as I once had to help her out on a cycle tour.

So called "cycle chic" is ill informed twaddle.

[thirdcrank]

That's pretty much what I was getting at. I live in one of the higher suburbs of Leeds so a lot of my commutes have been largely downhill on the outward trip. The sweating then is heaviest on the way home. That pushed me into having a shower installed over our bath when I started regular commuting in the 1970s to Leeds Town Hall. My worst experience by far was cycling a couple of days a week to Batley Town Hall as a Citizens Advice volunteer after I had retired. There were no changing facilities at all - just the wash handbasin in the gent's. Largely downhill from here so not too bad and after I'd worked out that manmade fibres were infinitely better than cotton, sitting about in rain-soaked togs was less of a problem. To cap it all, I failed totally in my normal tactic of befriending the porters, who made such a big deal about my bike that I started keeping it in the on-street cages.

After a few years I switched my volunteering to another advice place near where my mother lived so I went to her flat first to store my bike and get a wash-and-brush-up.