October 5th 2023
App-based cycle parking hubs in Glasgow city centre
Riders can now use Cyclehoop app to find and book vacant spaces in 20 secure parking hubs across Glasgow city centre and 205 in residential areas
The installation of secure parking hubs for bicycles is all part of the city council’s plans to promote active travel. But of course Glasgow has strong links to cycling already: in August, it hosted the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Cycling World Championships. To acknowledge that link, 12 of the new city centre hubs boast the distinct UCI rainbow stripes.
UCI-branded cycle hub in Glasgow city centre, photo courtesy of Glasgow City Council
The 20 new hubs in the city centre (eight of them without the UCI branding) between them provide 116 cycle parking spaces. These spaces are booked quickly and simply using the free Cyclehoop app, with the option to find a vacant space, add credit and book the space.
Compared to parking a car or similar vehicle, cycle parking are strikingly low. The city centre hubs cost 15p for up to 30 minutes (and so 30p for up to an hour, 60p for up to two hours etc). Other charges apply for extended stays: £3 for up to eight hours, and £5 for up to 24 hours.
Each hub is located at street level for ease of access and most of them are placed on the road, in line with the ‘Designing Streets’ policy statement from the Scottish government. In some cases, the hubs are located on footways – but care has been taken not to impede those walking or wheeling.
Each city centre hub takes up the space of about half a car.
The hubs have been installed as part of the wider Avenues Plus project. They’re funded via the Places for Everyone programme, an active travel infrastructure initiative backed by the Scottish government and administered by Sustrans Scotland.
Cllr Angus Millar, Convener for Climate, Transport and City Centre Recovery at Glasgow City Council, says: ‘The new city centre cycle parking units will help support people to cycle into the city centre for work, study and leisure by providing safe and secure hireable storage.
‘These units are in addition to our ongoing roll-out of secure on-street cycle storage in residential neighbourhoods across Glasgow, which have proven hugely popular throughout the city. I am sure these new short-stay units in the city centre will be a similarly successful addition to cycling infrastructure in Glasgow.’
Katherine Soane, Grant Manager for Sustrans, adds: ‘By providing convenient and easy-to-access bike storage locations across Glasgow city centre, we hope to see more opportunities than ever for everyday cycling journeys.
‘Not only will this provide residents and commuters with the peace of mind they need to go about their day, it will be absolutely transformative in combination with the walking, wheeling, and cycling improvements currently being delivered across the city.’
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