Britain

London’s cycle hire scheme & the need for community bike parks

I’ve been off work this week so have been using the time to cycle round parts of London I’ve not seen before. On my travels I was very excited to pedal my way past a brand new docking bay for the forthcoming London cycle hire scheme.

I’m a little worried about the safety aspects of having hundreds of inexperienced cyclists hitting the streets on the new hire bikes, but on balance the scheme has to be a good thing.

What I’d like to see, though, is community cycle parks. As most people in London live in flats, it’s a real drag to haul your bike up to your home. Parking the bike in your living room is less than ideal, and chaining up your beloved steed outside is asking for trouble. I’d love to see some secure, regularly placed cycle parks, perhaps even with their own on-site mechanic.