There's some new signs up outside the Physics Building -the one that looks a bit like a castle and is visible for miles round the city, a symbol of a city -the symbol of A cycle city.
The signs say :No Cycle Parking.
More precisely
No Cycle Parking.
Bikes left here will be
clamped and a 10 pound release
fee charged, or may
be removed at the
owners expense.
Alternative cycle parking is
provided alongside the
sports centre and to the
front of NSQi
Thank you.
There is some covered parking nearby, behind the car AK55AEA that appears to be blocking the entrance to the bike park - a car that our database searches show was recently sold for 5500 quid in Eastbourne.
One question: will the rules against bicycles be enforced? After all, parking of workmen's vans YK54JZT and BP06NCU in the two disabled parking spots doesn't seem to be crime worth punishing, but maybe bicycles are deserving of special treatment. After all, they belong to the troublemakers.
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9 comments:
Is there sufficient provision of Sheffield stands or other formal bike parking round here? If so, I don't understand what is the problem with preventing bikes from parking here. It's private land so they can conrtol it how they like. The bike parking is only just across the road, outside the library, and that's no distance at all to walk. If on the other hand, there is insufficient provision, the uni needs to invest in more formal cycle parking before they look at controlling the informal parking areas.
The notices don't have any UoB logo on them so might not be any university wide 'policy' - might just be the physics dept being fussy?
I work just round the corner from Tyndall Avenue in University Walk and nothing has appeared outside the Queen's Building ... yet.
I await with trepidation.
Inadequate and insecure cycle parking is the main reason why I invested in a Brompton folding bike. Recommended.
Just walked past this, and having read this post I thought I'd check out the bike parking situation.
There are stands all over the place. Using the railings is the hard way to park.
Having said that I'd be interested to know who gets that £10.
Yes, there are lots of stands. And a lot of them have extra chains, which is more secure. But go past at lunchtime, they are full
1. What do you do if you get to college and there's nowhere to park your bike?
2. What are the council's expectations for growth in cycling traffic from students over the next three years?
3. What are the university's growth plans for the same period?
With this overflow parking area removed, the only expansion options for traffic are walking and short-term car parking
For some people less able bodied than ourselves it is extremely difficult to gain access to certian buildings, including Physics when there are bikes carlessly attached to railings and strewn over the pavements, you are quick enough to jump on vehicles parking on pavements but bikes can cause as many problems. The Space outside Physics where the red shelter is was not actually ready to be used but Security, and Physics worked with other departments to get the ok to use it. Bike put on the railings can also damage the paint work, who is going to pay for that?
@Anonymous -I'd argue against locking a bike up there for another reason -railings can be cut through. But I don't like this signage and unless there is more parking provided, the whole cycle-city plan is doomed.
We have some good news on that front, wait for an announcement next week.
I've only just come across this thread and as the person who replaced the original faded signs outside the UoB HH Wills Laboratory (Physics building) with these new ones I feel the need to comment.
At full capacity the building has over 1000 users which makes for very intense traffic through the buiding entrance adjacent to the one set of railings concerned, typically on the hour. This entrance is also the disabled access to the building and one of the two main fire routes.
The old 'no cycle parking signs' were faded, broken or had simply been removed. Consequently bikes were being secured to the railings in such a way so as to block the fire escape, pavement and disabled access. Likewise the sign on the one signpost is to keep disabled access clear. If you look at the position of the signpost it is between the dropped curb and the access ramp to the building - one bike here effectively blocks disabled access.
And as for the clamping & £10 release fee? Since the signs were renewed I have only twice clamped bikes. Neither owner was charged, just politely reminded that other users of the area may suffer from their inconsiderate parking. Repeat offenders may well be charged and the intent is that any money would be donated to Sustrans.
I am very aware that there are cycle parking issues around the university, but being based in Physics this is the only area that I have anything to do with. The new covered racks outside NSQI are very heavily used and I have spoken with the UoB Sustainability team about additional parking. They are doing there best to find new sites. It is anticipated that with the proposed new Maths building to the rear of Physics additional parking will be installed, but this is sometime off.
There may be criticism of the signs however I too am a cyclist. I suffer from the same bike parking issues as the rest of you. However... I also have a responsibility to the safety and free access of all users of the buidling.
If you want to discuss this please call me - 0117 9288940 or swing by Physics and ask for Dan.
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