Great Western Coffee Shop

Architects Journal article - http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/daily-news/cyclepoint-bike-park-paddington-station-by-elefant-architecten/5204677.article?referrer=RSS

Looks good.

I also like the attitude of "there is a demand for a facility- lets provide it and charge a sensible fee for its use" rather than "it is too dificult/expensive to accomodate the demand, lets discourage it" which is all too often the British attitude.

I wonder where it will be located? The only two locations actually within the station that might be big enough to house such a structure are between Platforms 8 and 9 and the rear area of Platform 12 - basically where the current dingy facilities are located.

The area from Platforms 9-12 will be totally transformed early next year when all that scaffolding that's been there for around 20 years is finally torn down to reveal the natural daylight coming in through Span 4 again. With a modern glass building like this there too, that will add to the transformation.

No doubt some people will be outraged at having to pay to store their bike, but extra capacity is desperately needed. If you have secure parking you can rely upon then more commuters will use it rather than take their bikes on the train, which is basically a nuisance for FGW and can cause delays that would be avoided.

Indeed I am slightly outraged by the prospect of having to pay ^274 a year (assuming it actually stays at 75p per day) to park my bike at Paddington.  I can see myself more rather than less likely to lug a folding bicycle onto crowded FGW trains if no dingy free bicycle parking remains at Paddington.

Hmm - I had a circa ^500 semi folding bike locked up at pad about two years ago. I normally took it home at weekends (fits into the disabled space in 1st quite nicely - obviously on the proviso that if a disabled person actually wants to use it, me and the bike dont).

I went home on a wednesday, got sick and did not return to paddington for 10 days.  I found my back stripped of everything.

Cost me ^600 to replace it not including add ons.

I'd pay it in a heart beat. 

Until you've done (and I did for nealy 7 months) do not underestimate the hastle factor of lugging bike, groceries, normal baggage etc.   Thats why I left it at paddington during the week.

I wont use a Bromtpon but I have a mountain bike that folds in two - complete disc breaks, suspension and everything.

The pilot facility has now been opened at Leeds.  See the article at: http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/leeds-cyclepoint-launches-27469 (http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/leeds-cyclepoint-launches-27469)

Should it be successful - and I think it probably will be - then others may start appearing over the country.  Paddington (mentioned in the original article), Reading, Bristol and Cardiff would be four possibilities on the FGW network, maybe others?  I don't think FGW want to encourage any more commuters to take their bikes on the trains and so by providing secure storage at their destination station where the user can leave their bike overnight, as well as Boris' new Cycle Hire scheme in London as an alternative option, should help people shift their commuting habits.

However, you have to ask - just how safe would it be if say, another 10% of commuting within central London was done on bicycles?  I'd predict carnage!

The description of the Leeds scheme seems wrong. It doesn't help the railway if pax arrive in Leeds with a bike, and leave it at the cylepoint while they are at work - and possibly get it repaired? Surely they should be encouraging out of town commuters to leave bikes there overnight and use them during the day.

Or am I misinterpreting the description...

Paul

The Leeds Cycle Point is based on facilities found at many Dutch stations, though on a considerably smaller scale! The then NedRail (part owner of Northern Rail) brought the concept over a couple of years ago. They succeeded in getting support from Northern, DfT, ATOC, as well as cycle users (via the Northern Cycle Users Forum) and local authorities, plus Network Rail as owners of the station and the location of the CyclePoint.

The purpose is not really to provide parking for cyclist arriving by train (they could leave their bikes at their boarding station, where improved facilities are being installed thanks to a ^1 m grant from Cycling England), rather it is for people biking to Leeds station. For those arriving from further afield Bike Hire is available, as well as repairs and sales.

The CyclePoint is located directly opposite the exit/ entrance to the station adjoining the bus stands and taxi rank. Work is in progress to improve the exit from the station/ CyclePoint to City Square (about 300m) for both pedestrians and cyclists including direct access to cycle routes going east, west and north into the City.

Having worked in the circular building now incorporated into the CyclePoint I can tell you that many people do bike to the station (though some may use it as fairly secure parking spot to go off into Town rather than go by train.

Just to add, Evans Cycles are opening another shop (larger) at the other end of New Station Street - the station approach road for buses, taxis and bikes, as well as pedestrians. This road is in Network Rail's ownership..Car access and parking is on the western side of the station.

Just to agree with Brompton Rail the Dutch do cycle parks at stations very well. The one outside Amsterdamn Central is  multistorey built out over a canal.

Anyone know how many bikes it holds it must be at least a 1000?

I have a picture of it (or part of it) on here somewhere.. If I have time later I'll look for it..

In 2008 Ben van Westing - former MD of Nederlands Spoorwegen Cycling division gave an excellent presentation to the Northern Rail Cycle Users Forum about the concept of Cycle Point. I don't remember how many thousands of cycle parking spaces there were at Amsterdam Centraal but the following is an extract from the presentation ..

"CYCLE POINT ^ There are 40 stations in Netherlands with Cycle Points serving
between 500 and 3,000 bikes per day. In larger cities (e.g. Utrecht) upto 22,000 bikes
are covered. The Points are also Cycling Information / Demonstration places. Use is
made of auto parking and they sites offer sales, repair and rental".

Utrecht is the fourth city in the Netherlands with a population of around 300,000. So we have some way to go in encouraging rail passengers to cycle to the station, in order to even approach the Netherlands!