Would-be cyclists in Renfrewshire are being put off from using bikes because of a lack of places to park them, according to the findings of a new report.
The study by Cycling Scotland says that because of the large number of flatted residences in the area, many people are deterred from getting on two wheels because of a lack of storage space, leading to fears their bike might be stolen if stored outside or in tenement closes.
The report says that there are 37,600 flats in the local authority area, making up 43 per cent of the entire housing stock.
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Due to space constraints, bike owners sometimes have to store their bicycles in tenement closes and on stairwells, or even outside in the elements, where the risk of them being stolen or vandalised greatly increases.
The Cycling Scotland report says more needs to be done to ensure people in flats have better access to secure storage for their bikes.
They are calling for local authorities to “include more detail about both the quantity and quality of cycle storage in new residential housing and to develop plans for retrofitting cycle storage in existing areas of high-density housing.”
They also want to see more financial support for cycle storage and retrofitting.
Kath Brough, of Cycling Scotland, said: “Lack of safe, secure, covered, accessible and conveniently-located cycle storage is a barrier to owning and using a bike.
“We know from research that a third of people in Scotland say not having somewhere to store a bike prevents them from cycling for everyday journeys – and this particularly affects those from lower socio-economic groups.
“It’s urgent that we do everything we can to make it easier for people to make affordable journeys – and a bike helps people to reach employment, education and essential services reliably and cheaply.
“Residents in high-rise buildings, tenement flats and apartment blocks cannot reasonably be expected to keep cycles within the property and the availability of suitable secure cycle storage nearby is often scarce.”
Minister for Active Travel, Patrick Harvie, said: “We need to make it easier for people to choose cycling for so many reasons – and the lack of storage options remains a real barrier, particularly to people living in flats and tenements. Where provision does exist, it’s important that it remains affordable and is inclusive to the needs of all.
“We’ve made some progress in this area, but we need to see much more and will look closely at the recommendations made by this report. The Scottish Government is providing funding to local authorities and registered social landlords, delivered through the expertise of Cycling Scotland – and we continuously look at the effectiveness of our funding approaches and how we can build and improve.
“With record funding now available in Scotland, and a commitment to investing £320m or 10 per cent of the transport budget on active travel by 2024/25, we’re committed to building an Active Nation and making it easier for people to walk, wheel and cycle for everyday journeys.”
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