Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Where do I park my bike? The Danish approach

Where do I park my bicycle? Regrettably, accessible and satisfactory bicycle parking facilities are sometimes few and far between. This is due to the fact that, so far, good bicycle parking has been given far too little attention in Danish urban planning. And when bicycle parking has been included in the planning, not enough account has often been taken of the needs and requirements of cyclists and their patterns of behaviour. The result is often a bicycle parking facility which is not used. Denmark generally has a good network of bicycle paths, but when it comes to bicycle parking we lag hopelessly behind, especially when compared to the Netherlands. They are currently improving and enlarging their excellent bicycle parking facilities. In The Hague, with almost half a million inhabitants, a new facility with space for 14,000 bicycles is being planned at the main railway station! Denmark is a cycling country, and this should be demonstrated by bicycle parking facilities, too. Fortunately, town planners and politicians are focusing more on the issue. Good bicycle parking facilities may be what persuades commuters to travel by bicycle and public transport rather than jumping in the car. Bicycle parking can contribute to solving the growing problem of congestion. Read more here.