16 November 2011

Copenhagen Bicycle Parking Checklist

The City of Copenhagen has published a little folder called Checklist for Bicycle Parking - (opens as .pdf, in Danish). It is part of the City's "City For Everyone" (By for alle) strategy, based on the Principles of Universal Design. The City for Everyone strategy is mostly aimed at accessibility for pedestrians, mobility impaired, the elderly, etc. Here's an English brochure the City has about it (pdf).

Here's a translation of the Checklsit for Bicycle Parking.

What is good bicycle parking?
It is not only of great importance to cyclists but also for people who use the space where bicycles are parked. Lack of bicycle parking - or badly designed bicycle parking - results in bicycles being parked in inappropriate spots and that restricts accessibility in the city. It is therefore very important that bicycle parking is included in urban planning and that is is designed correctly.

Good bicycle parking makes it easier and more convenient for cyclists to move around the world's best bicycle city. At the same time it ensures better accessibility to all the things the city offers for all the other citizens. The checklist contains eight short and concrete considerations that should be included when creating new bicycle parking facilities.

1. Are the bicycle racks close to the destination? Maximum 30 metres away.
2. Are the racks placed optimally in relation to the destination? For example in relation to access.
3. Is there sufficient space between the racks to ensure access to them? There should be a minimum of 150 cm free space for putting the bikes in and taking them out. 200 cm is preferred.
4. Does the number of racks match the number of bicycles at the location?
5. The bike racks should be of a good quality - see the design manual - and have 50 cm between each bicycle.
6. Is there niveau-free access to and from the racks?
7. Does the location of the bicycle parking require lighting to achieve a satisfactory level of sense of security?
8. Does the cyclist have a good overview of the whole parking facility? This applies mostly to larger parking facilities in order to ensure sense of security.

The 'City for Everyone' project has seven 'commandments' regarding accessibility that the employees at the City's Technical and Emvironmental Administration (Transport and Environment Dept.) must use when working in the development of more accessible public spaces.

1. The City should be designed for people of all ages with different needs.
2. We will work towards a safe, secure, pleasant, convenient and comfortable city.
3. Accessibility must be improved each time an employee of the Technical and Environmental Administration is involved.
4. Accessibility is a natural part of our daily work in the Technical and Environmental Administration.
5. Our point of departure is in existing solutions and processes.
6. We will use Copenhagen solutions - for example, the Copenhagen sidewalk, etc. (the Copenhagen sidewalk is a design. Paving stones and cobblestones)
7. Accessibility funds must give accessibility to the City.


shuichi said...

As you might have noticed I found a biggest automated parking lot in Japan.


We can park maximum to 9400 bikes at the parking space, which is constructed underground.
I think this parking lot would be useful to all kinds of people although the cost was somehow expensive to 7 billion yen..

Lars Barfred said...

9.400 parking spaces is a a third of the total spaces in bike racks in Copenhagens "betalingszonerne", (the part of the city, where cars need to pay for parking). That is pretty amazing, or really pretty embarrasing for Copenhagen.

Lars Barfred said...

I actually think the checklist is pretty embarrasing all in all. The city should accept its reponsibility to create a decent amount of bike racks in stead. The city has 86.500 parking spaces for cars in the paid parking zones, and only parking racks for 33.281 bikes (private and public). In a city where you are not aloud to park your bike on the street and hundred of thousands of bicyclist use their bike every f..... day, what do they expect, that people carry the bike into the stores and offices ?

Lars Barfred said...

At the most used traffic junction in denmark, they made a basement for bikes below a steep set of stairs, it holds 75 bikes! its ridiculous !

Anonymous said...

What about roof? The checklist doesn't say anything about that..

Lars Barfred said...

-I think a rather high number has 60 cm handle bars, probably most, so this is an inadequate spacing, which I think helps ruin our bikes a lot, especially the brake-grips and cabling.

NorthSport.dk said...

OR everybody should buy a folding bike, that can be transported in the train and bus and brought into the appartment during the night = no parking problems anymore :-)

Lars Barfred said...

Well folding bikes leaves little space for fast riding or doing your grocery shopping, but neat idea ;-) Simple and small footprints are allways something to strive for ;-)

Except for my trike, which is really heavy, I actually keep my other bikes in my forth floor apartment, but thats because I am affraid of theft....