Note: This is a sponsored post
With a growth in popularity of cycle schemes to and from work places, what is needed when cyclists reach their destination is safe bicycle parking. Allpark Ltd work with businesses to provide cycle parking solutions that make the best use of the space available.
This post will be useful to anyone looking to setup cycle parking in their business or at home. It also talks briefly about the TfL cycle superhighway grants that are available.
Designing the ideal parking solution
It can be confusing for a business to choose the best bike parking solution. Allpark Ltd are able to advise which solutions would be most appropriate and can even design bespoke solutions to meet specific requirements. This is done through a full survey and design service.
Consideration is taken for the cyclists who will use the facility, the space, security, cost and also ensuring a fit with the surrounding environment.
The service is frequently used by architects and businesses looking to maximise the use of the space.
Is your company within the cycle superhighways catchment area?
Businesses located with 1.5km of the cycle superhighway routes and have a minimum of 50 employees can qualify for support in setting up cycle storage, cycle training and safety sessions.
Allpark Ltd is a provider for the TfL scheme of which more details can be found here.
Solutions for those with minimum cycle parking space
There are racks available that make full use of minimum storage space. For example, the popular Semi Vertical rack and the Double Stacker. You may have noticed systems such as the Double Stacker in place in stations such as London Euston.
Bicycle parking at home
If you don’t want to keep dragging your bike into your house and damaging the walls then the Bike Vault is a great option. It holds the bike securely outside. Alternatively, for those with some garage space the Eltham bike rack keeps bike secure and out of the way.
Creating a new cyclopark in Gravesend
Aside from the day to day business of providing secure cycle parking AllPark Ltd have also been heavily involved with a new cyclopark that will provide 1400sqm of skate park, 43 hectares of parkland, 3km of tarmac for road racing and 7500sqm of BMX track in Gravesend.
Over the last few weeks children have been designing their own bikes with the help of local artists, designers and bike shops. Designs ranging from tandems, extra tall, trailers and reclining seat cycles have been constructed with help from local firm Allpark Ltd.
Commercial Director Andrew Thomson said “As manufacturers of cycle parking equipment we had all the necessary resources to help with this project. It was great to see the bikes go from a basic design to fully working cycles that looked fantastic when decorated”.
For more information on Allpark and the parking solutions they offer to cyclists and businesses you can visit their website at http://www.allpark.co.uk/ or give them a call on 0845 094 2217.
This is really good stuff. Thanks for posting it and letting me know about AllPark. Excellent.
Rather expensive at over £500 for a plastic box.
I have to agree with John, while the thrust of the piece is about work solutions readers of the blog are likely to look at the home solution section and £588 does seem pretty steep for the bike vault. Especially if it only holds the one bike!
That said having your bike out front rather than carting it through the house is an absolute godsend in terms of not creating mess, saving time and has massively increased the amount my wife and I use our bikes.
We got a trimetals bike store about 3 years ago and it has been a simply brilliant buy
http://www.trimetals.co.uk/bicycle-storage.php?m=4&g=9
There’s enough room for 3 bikes inside, and a track pump, a tool kit, cleaning stuff and even non bike related bits and pieces like our wellies etc.
All this and it’s significantly cheaper than the vault
Bizarrely, while I can’t remember what I paid now for it I do remember that it was cheaper to buy from an alternate site rather than trimetal’s own
Just in reply to Gibby –
Our Bike Vault is designed to accomodate one bike as it is also installed in public locations (transport hubs, workplace, campus, gyms etc) where it would be used by a sole cyclist for their bike and kit.
Added benefits are that it is delivered ready to bolt down (no assembly like Trimetals which I believe can be quite a drama) and doesn’t suffer from condensation and corrsoion issues like metal does.
Finally in price terms all lockers are pretty expensive but ours is just about the cheapest (of those not purely targeted at domestic situations) and we like to think quite attractive!
It does refer in your article though to the bike vault being used for home use, so the bit about other bike sheds not being up to public space use does not apply.
On a personal level I have an asgard annexe bike shed and would put a lot more trust in a secure metal unit with a 10 year guarantee as opposed to a plastic one.
John, I’m not putting down metal units merely pointing out the differences, and that Asgard and Trimetals aren’t targeted at public domain environments.
Ours is ideal at home if: you’re cycling everyday and don’t want to fight past any other bikes to get to yours and if you’re pushed for space. If you check our web site gallery there’s a Bike Vault in a small town house front garden that just couldn’t accomodate a Trimetals unit.
We’ve also found that where planning permission requires cycle storage be provided builders use ours at one per dwelling as they take up less space, don’t need assembly and still comply with planning.
It’s really horses for courses depending on how many bikes, convenience and how much space etc.
I would have to see both the timetals and the bike vault to see which one I favoured.
However the general concept is interesting as I am currently house hunting and have been put off by a lot of mid-terrace properties due to bike storage issues (the other half not terribly impressed with the idea of me dragging the bike through the house in the winter). Had never thought of this type of solution before.
One reservation I have, which someone may be able to shed light on, what is the situation with insurance? I presume using one of these would constitute the bike being properly secured at your own home? I am just cautious as they would obviously be stored to the more accessible front of the house, rather than the rear.
Hi El Gordo..
Most insurance policies require that your bike is locked to an immovable object. In the case of Bike Vault we recommend and supply a Sold Secure Silver ground anchor that is fitted inside the Bike Vault and to which your bike would be chained. My insurers were happy with that – I used a SS Gold chain to go with.
Of course you would need to check with your own insurers.
Thanks for the response Simon,
My bike is locked at the rear at present so I guess it will make no difference using the lock and storage system at the front.
One further thing, as a planner, I actually don’t agree that it does not require planning permission. I wasn’t going to mention this as it seemes like planning pedantry, but actually, to be fair to others reading this, I think it is only right to point this out prior to someone making a £500 investment.
It is a fixed structure (rather than moveable) and it therefore constitutes development for which planning permission is required. The question, therefore, is whether or not deemed planning permission is conferred under the General Permitted Development Order.
As it is a separate building within the curtilage of the dwelling then it falls under Class E of that Order. This allows for the erection of buildings, enclosures etc subject to certain criteria. However, criteria (b) states that development is not permitted if:
“the building, enclosure, pool or container would be situated on land forward of a wall forming the principal elevation of the original dwellinghouse”. (principal elevation is taken to mean the front of the dwelling)
As the main purpose of the vault is to sit in front of the property then in the majority of circumstances planning permission would be required. If it is being provided on a new build then it is possible that it could be fitted under the planning conditions, which is what you may be referring to with the builders, but to just fit one at your existing home is likely to require consent.
However, this applies to either your system or the rival ones and I am sure lots of people put them in without planning permission and the Council will never bother them (they generally have lots better things to be doing). Also, just because it needs permission obviously doesn’t mean it is unacceptable just that, technically, you do require it and should apply for it. I feel it is only fair to point that out.
Blimey! Well we’ve never had any issues or indeed this point even raised in all the installations that I’m aware went into front gardens.
I assume because of its low stature and nature (as in not exactly a building) that it hasn’t occurred to anyone.
I do of course bow to your knowledge and can only assume that any Council awareness has received a light touch and as you suggest not been bothered with.
Contrary to popular belief Council’s will not generally go looking for breaches of planning control, especially of a minor nature like this, and will generally only respond on an issue if someone makes a complaint. Given that they are small unobtrusive structures that are unlikely to cause a neighbour any issue I can’t imagine complaints are very likely (as shown by the fact that you have never had an issue).
Like I say, it is just a technical point really, but one that some people may need to keep in mind, especially if they have neighbours who are slightly more interersted in what goes on in the street! Also, solicitors are quite hot on making sure everything has consent (or definitely doesn’t require it) when you buy/sell these days but given that you would most likely take it with you (i.e. remove it) then that is also unlikely to be an issue.
I think I may print this blog and forward it if anyone does raise the point in the future.
Planning – Technically you need it; in all likelihood you will receive it; but in most cases if you don’t seek it no one will notice!
Thank you El Gordo..
Simon,
in any event when selling a house, it is possible to get indemnity insurance for breaches of planning etc (depending on the situation). normally the breach has to be over 12 months old to get cover,
if the business is going well, you’d be well advised to get some legal advice on this so you could do a brochure or faq section for your punters.
in case your wondering how I know this – 10yrs plus as a property specialist solicitor.
best of luck.
regards
I think that is a pretty fair summary!
.EL-gordo.
In relation to the insurance aspect of your question –
I use ETA insurance and their policy demands that the bike is locked away and out of sight, It does not have to be physically locked at all the bike, just the building.
The Asgard annexe comes with a seven point double door locking system and the manufactures claim that you may be able to get a reduction on your insurance because of it’s security features which are approved but i have not tried this to date with ETA.
A ground anchor can be installed into the sub base to allow a bike to be locked up inside the shed if that is an insurance point in a policy.
I have heard of a policy that would not insure a bike at home unless it was in the main building, so yes, if you are insured and don’t trust your own security measures make sure an outside building of any type is allowable for insurance purposes.
PS – Simon, sorry if it sounds like a sales pitch, I don’t have any financial interest in the company!
Hey John. Not at all..
I am joint owner and designer of Bike Vault but I do try to be fair and unbiased.
Particluarly in environments such as this where readers are after info and not a sales pitch!
There aren’t many players in the market place at the lower price range and we all satisfy different requirements.
You pay your money and make your choice! 🙂
Nice products at reasonable prices but exhorbitant delivery charges – unfortuantely after six weeks on a 10 day lead time item I’m still waiting. Two promised delievry dates missed without any contact from the Company until I called them.
AVOID AVOID AVOID
Ian,
I seriously trust you aren’t referring to Bike Vault as you have never contacted us at all and the delivery is included within the price and I can assure you that we have never kept anybody waiting more than the stated 10 days.
We have two agents, Bike Dock Solutions and Allpark (more recently). If you have contacted either of them at some stage and had service such as that you describe please inform me of the details.
Simon
My comments refer to Allpark – they are factually accurate and I have no intention of changing them but I am happy to clarify that this is not related to Bike Dock..
Ian
Okay Ian,
Allpark have only been selling our products for about 6 weeks so I’d also like to think that you hadn’t ordered two Bike Vaults from them and been disappointed!
You can always get in touch with me direct..
Actually Ian,
As I said we have two agents but we are the sole manufacturer; we manufacture to order; no one carries any stock of Bike vaults; if our agent takes an order then they have to place an order with us. This simply hasn’t happened in your case..
I’d be interested to hear more details of your problems so I can take it further on your behalf.
My comments relate to the Allpark Toast Rack cycle stand –
Miraculously it arrived (unannounced) about 20 minutes ago – power of the internet ?
I wish Allpark had Bike Dock’s attention to Customer Service as the rack itself looks great..
Ian