After it was mentioned in another thread, i decided to check out the bike storage at the local station, and I found some interesting things. here it is in a walkway near the station, sort of in the middle of nowhere without much security. station is in the background of 2nd photo:

 

It has/had tools attached to it for bike maintenance; however, the end of the pump thing was broken and half the tools were missing:

 

Another interesting thing was the squidgy walkway in front of the bike storage that generated energy somehow. I think it's more virtual signalling than useful. It doesn't look too new and it's generated 1.8 Mj, which is around 500wh if I've done my sums right - nearly enough for one ebike charge! It won't even make a fraction of the power needed to run the info screen. What a waste of time and resources! They could probably make at least 100 times the power if they had a line of turnstiles you had to go through.

 

Every time I look at that photo, I think crikey, I've left my bike there.

 

Edited March 12, 20242 yr by saneagle

Thanks for this information - that looks even more depressing than your train station. I'll stay on the train and close my eyes till it goes away.

 

I do see the occasional very well lit bike shelter on train platforms, mostly filled too, with sensibly cheap looking bikes. I'll try to take a clear snap of one next time.

Edited March 12, 20242 yr by guerney

The missing tools were used to nick the bikes parked there or to remove the nice component parts.

Also what on earth made someone think that such bike storage would be safe to leave and lock a bike ?

As you say, looks like a virtue signaling, box ticking exercise. Just like the painted line cycle lanes they can say, 'We've spent xxxthousands of pounds on cycle facility provision - polish my halo here!'.

I dread to think how much that thing cost. It's a sad indictment on society that anyone thinks it's OK/fun to hammer the tools.

As to leaving ones bike there.......... It really is time that we all stopped wearily accepting this behaviour as inevitable, and living in fear of it, and started to actively radiate that it's just not on.

I've seen something on similar lines in Carmarthen pedestrian area, I'll see if I can get a pic next time I'm down there.

The issue is people who plan & instigate these useless cycling infrastucture schemes have no idea and certainly aren't cyclists. Typical fools who waste money as has been said as a box ticking excercise.

Box ticking starts at the top of an organisation.

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/news/the-1-1m-bike-shed-at-station-thats-almost-empty-every-day-284203/

 

how many years to break even ?

It has/had tools attached to it for bike maintenance; however, the end of the pump thing was broken and half the tools were missing:

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[ATTACH=full]56830[/ATTACH]

 

[ATTACH=full]56831[/ATTACH]

 

Good evidence - I've ratted you out to the rozzers for vandalising a bike pump and stealing tools.

 

 

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/news/the-1-1m-bike-shed-at-station-thats-almost-empty-every-day-284203/

 

how many years to break even ?

 

It'd have to house 280 bike sized bank safes, for me to use such a bike shelter. Or sturdy individual lockers, at the very least, with bike locking points embedded in concrete within. They've been ripped off paying £1.1 million for that mess. Blaming lack of use of that shelter on lack of cycle lanes in Cheltenham is stupid.

 

Perhaps Amazon and other delivery services, could make some of their larger delivery pick-up point lockers available for storage of folding bikes? Those are popping up in bus shelters and garage forecourts all over the place, surely their larger lockers aren't being used for delivery all the time? They could charge a rental fee, provide insurance, profit from unused space.

probably end up like those missile silos sold off for peanuts for lack of use and converted into a dwelling with some sort of local government grant.........

probably end up like those missile silos sold off for peanuts for lack of use and converted into a dwelling with some sort of local government grant.........

 

Convenient rail links, light and airy. Hell I'd buy one if they have planning permission for a second floor.

I'm going to estimate that the energy generating walkway cost a minimum of £20,000 to make 12p worth of electricity in God knows how many years. The cycle storage itself probably cost around £10,000 unless there was a substantial backhanded to the council, and there wasn't a single bike parked in it. I'm going to keep checking it, and I'm going to bet that I never see a bike in it because it's located on a footpath, where hardly any bikes would go, and it's very insecure. It would probably be safer to tie your bike to a lamppost on the nearest sink estate.

 

I just don't get it. I'd love to meet the person that made the decision to put the shelter there and ask them why. It's obvious that the only thing that it'll be used for is vandalism, and eventually they'll have to pay to remove it. I just find it so frustrating, when the money could be used to do something useful.

That train station bike rack and tool kit is the same as the one at my work.

Have locked security gates and cameras.

Bikes have still gone missing

The flat bottom rack is great. The inclined bottom rack is terrible and the top rack although easy to get the bike up is too much hassle.

Tools are all there but rusty.

 

 

What's needed is https://www.cheltenhambikes.co.uk/hire-services/storage-lockers

 

They are around the country but lottery of you have one close

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/news/the-1-1m-bike-shed-at-station-thats-almost-empty-every-day-284203/

 

how many years to break even ?

 

I actually like it. Individual steel boxes would be probably more secure.

 

Not sure why they spent 1.1m on it. Loos like a big shed.

I'm a little surprised that the tyre pump is still there, surely it only requires a spanner.....um and a van as it looks heavy but ppl will nick anything these days...?

 

What are they thinking leaving tools out....nuts.....

£1.1 and not a single YouTube video promoting and demonstrating the bike enclosure.

I went an visited it again today. Still no bikes were in it, though a guy was smoking in it. He worked nearby and said that he had never seen a bike in it.

Where do ppl lock their bikes up then at station?

I'd be taking it on the train....

Where do ppl lock their bikes up then at station?

I'll have a look tomorrow. I thought there was a bike rack and shelter right next to the entrance on the other side, but i need to check.

Yes, here it is from Google maps, just as I thought:

Edited March 12, 20242 yr by saneagle

Here it is on the map. None of it makes sense:

Well no of course it doesn't make sense to mere mortals who retain even a modicum of common sense. The only sense it needs to make is that a box is ticked. Probably some money left over at the end of the financial year. I know, lets spend it on cycle stuff then we'll get some more money next year and look really good on the end of year report.

I'm actually starting to think that we're going to have to re-name common sense 'cos it seems to be in short supply.

What's needed is https://www.cheltenhambikes.co.uk/hire-services/storage-lockers

 

They are around the country but lottery of you have one close

 

They could have embedded separate waterproof lockers into the concrete base and saved money by dispensing with the structure. Less to claw back in charges. £5 a day is a bit steep if you need to use a bike locker every day, so are their other options. Small lockers for small wheeled folding bikes should be half price or less. I can't help but compare these costs to prices of bus travel. About £4.70 gets you regional off-peak bus travel in my area, about a quid more for travel all day - I suppose that's the point? Close enough I guess, for the company operating these lockers to claim this facility is "competitively priced"?

 

 

 

Rubbish bus services, increasing costs of car ownership and use will force people onto bikes, therefore there is an opportunity for genuinely useful secure bike storage. More insured bikes being stolen will increase the price of bike insurance. Bus services were better before privatisation...

 

Bus passengers feel 'let down' in parts of England

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68543962

 

 

...so was water. Lol they've also got to pay shareholder's dividends with money you're paying them:

 

Water firms use up to 28% of bill payments to service debt in areas of England

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2023/dec/18/water-firms-use-up-to-28-percent-of-bill-payments-to-service-debt-in-areas-of-england

 

 

Here it is on the map. None of it makes sense:

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Is the rest of Telford as crap? Glad I stayed on the train last week, despite the horrible view and smell. Despite price increases, I'm pretty sure that train had fleas. Train shouldn't have been privatised either BTW. It's difficult to replace a 200 mile train journey with a pedelec ride.

 

Edited March 13, 20242 yr by guerney