On-street cycle storage boost for Dundee communities

Local residents in Dundee can now use new on-street cycle hangars, installed across the city over the summer to make it easier for people to store their bikes conveniently and safely near their homes.

Installed in partnership between Cycling Scotland and Dundee City Council, the new cycle storage units provide a total of 240 spaces for bikes in neighbourhoods across the city, including Downfield, Charlston, Douglas and Hilltown.

Lack of storage is a barrier to owning and using a bike, with more than one third of Scottish households likely to be living in accommodation without access to suitable cycle storage. This particularly affects those living in high-rise buildings, tenements and apartment blocks.

Dundee City Council successfully applied for £100,000 of funding from Cycling Scotland, supported by Transport Scotland grant funding. This enabled them to install 40 bike hangars across Dundee with lower costs for users, ensuring that cycle storage is affordable and accessible to more people.

Nick Toner, a community development worker and resident of Blackness, Dundee, has found the new on-street storage has made a big difference to how he travels around the city:

“Having the bike storage space has removed a mental and physical barrier for me. Just facing the idea of looking for somewhere safe to store my bike and lock it up, it was such a hassle. But now I come to work, and I have a parking spot nearby. It’s so much more convenient and it’s given me the freedom to use my bike to get around the city more often.”

Martim Mas, a resident of Stobswell, Dundee who has had a storage space since June, cites it as enabling him to use his bike as part of his commute to work:

“I actually got my bike after I got my storage, because I had no space in my flat. I would’ve had to keep it inside and there was just no space.”

“I use my bike now to cycle to the bus station, then to work at St Andrews. My bike is my main mode of transport across the city. Having this storage space is super convenient for me, and it’s good to know I can leave my bike there and it will be safe.”

Dundee City councillor Steven Rome, Convener of Fair Work, Economic Growth & Infrastructure, said: “Secure, convenient bike parking in communities across the city enables Dundee residents in flats to have somewhere safe to store their bikes. By providing facilities like these, we are making it easier for people to choose to use bikes for everyday journeys.”

Hugh Macgregor, Access to Storage Programme Manager at Cycling Scotland, said: “Cycling is a healthy, cost-effective way of getting around, and improving fair access to storage is essential if we’re to help more people travel by bike.

Storing a bike is a challenge for those who live in flatted accommodation, so we’re extremely pleased to see this new on-street storage be made available in Dundee. It’s brilliant to see there’s been so much demand for the new units and that they have already begun making a real difference to people’s lives.”

Dundee residents can view and apply for available spaces in their area through the Cyclehoop website.

Learn more about Cycling Scotland’s programmes, which are providing support, including funding, to help workplaces, schools, campuses, communities and social housing providers across Scotland to be more cycling friendly, here.

Image credit: Cyclehoop