France: motorcycle parking

One recurrent complaint from some of the Bristol Cycling members is motorbikes using their bike parks, and so making it harder to park bicycles. But the motorbikes are forced there because the parking areas allocated for motorbikes are usually full of cars. Unless parking a car in those areas is an enforced offence, motorbikes have to park where they can, which means bike parks.

Here in France, a different approach has been tried.

The reserved motorbike parking area have sheffield-style stands in them, so that both motorbikes and bicycles can be locked in them. This provides a place for both vehicles to be parked, out of busy pavements. Thus even pedestrians are not inconvenienced.

Cars cannot use them, although they can double park in front of them.

This is clearly a simple idea that would benefit motorbikes, cycles and pedestrians. Why then, is it not going to be used in Bristol? Because it would remove valuable car parking spaces in the city. Pushing the bikes and motorbikes onto the pavement saves space for cars. As for pedestrians, well, who cares?