Cycling UK Forum

Cyclenut/Thirdcrank

Cheers for the comments.

Cycle Parking is clearly not the be all and end all. But in my opinion well thought out and located cycle parking does provide an opportunity to secure bikes in a convenient location - without being an eyesore. It is also a good, visible and relatively cheap advert for cycling.

This is about getting cycle parking that does facilitate.

You are right that longer-term cycle parking for workplaces etc does also need attention but this would be harder to influence on a wide scale with a campaign such as the one I'm advocating.

It is also a good, visible and relatively cheap advert for cycling

That's how I see it. Before we had proper sheffield racks bikes were just locked to anything handy, railings, lampposts, etc...giving the impression that they weren't meant to be there, and in some cases inconveniencing people. Now we have a nice row of proper stands and sign it actually looks like bikes are an acceptable part of the urban environment, and the fact that they are all together also makes it look like more people are cycling: thus making us less of a minority to non-cyclists. And if non-cyclists think that lots of people cycle then they are more likely to give it a go than if they think it's just the odd weirdo that can't afford a car.

Sure there are many other issues that cyclists need to campaign about, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't follow this one too.