The first phase of delivering new secure cycle parking in Cardiff city centre will start on August 1st with the first six secure cycling units installed by Cardiff Castle for public and visitors to use.
Funded by the Active Travel Fund, One Planet Cardiff and the Local Places for Nature Programme, a total of 30 units will be delivered in the first month of the scheme. This will be followed by a 5-year programme to install more units across the city centre and in local shopping areas.
All the initial units will have living roofs, which will provide significant environmental benefits by enhancing biodiversity in city centre locations.
The initial contract, awarded to Spoke Safe, will focus exclusively on the city centre. Cyclists will be able to be book and pay for their locker via an online App in advance, for as little as between £1 and £1.50 a day.
The initial new units will be battery-powered, eliminating the need to connect them to the electricity grid and reducing installation costs.
Cllr Dan De’Ath. Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Strategic Planning and Transport said: “The Council is committed to improving the facilities for cyclists as we are fully aware there are issues with bike theft and damage to bikes in Cardiff. This is why we are developing a 5-year programme which could see a variety of different secure cycling solutions delivered at key locations across the city.
“Although we initially hoped to provide these services for free, after engaging local cycling groups and the public – nearly 80% of whom were happy paying a small fee in exchange for a more efficient scheme, we found that a modest charge makes the scheme financially sustainable, so it can continue to expand into district shopping centres in areas like Cardiff Bay, Cathays, Roath, Llanishen and Heath.
“Throughout the project, we have also been working with the South Wales Police and security experts to ensure that the new lockers are safe and cannot be misused. By offering secure and reliable solutions for cyclists, we hope more people will dust off their bikes in their garage and start cycling again, confident that their bike will be safe when parked.
The first phase will use individual cycling containers that will be installed in Cardiff city centre, with 30 installed in the first month, a further 30 installed by Christmas and a total of 100 units installed in the first year.
The contract for the 5-year programme is expected to be appointed later this summer. It could include a variety of different chargeable solutions such as hangars, stands or further lockers, while retaining the current free steel stands for free cycle parking.
As part of a separate scheme, the Council will also be piloting secure cycle hangers in residential areas. Local consultation will take place in the coming weeks on where the hangers could be located.
