Ask 4: Greener Streets with more Cycle Parking
The Leader of Westminster City Council pledged to fulfil our five ‘asks’ for Climate Safe Streets in the run-up to the May 2022 elections. Here’s the fourth ask…
Ask 4: By 2026, there will be sufficient secure and inclusive cycle parking for residents and visitors throughout Westminster and more street trees and parklets.
There is currently an immediate demand shortfall of more than 4000 on-street cycle parking spaces in Westminster. The lack of secure, convenient cycle parking is one of the main barriers to cycling in London. It disproportionately impacts disabled people, families and those on low incomes and with less household space.
Parking Injustice
The level of car parking versus cycle parking provision is unfair. The cost difference is unfair, too. It costs roughly the same amount for a couple to park a 1200cc engine vehicle as it does to park two cycles. This is not fair, given the ongoing cost of living crisis and the fact that it is the wealthiest who are most likely to own cars. Increasing low-cost cycle hangar provision could help many of Westminster’s residents with lower incomes.
Potential for Reallocation
The council currently provides 47,000 parking spaces in Westminster over 600 miles of kerbside space. But car ownership is falling. Demand for resident parking permits reduced by more than 3500 between 2017-2020 and demand for paid parking is decreasing too. These trends began long before the pandemic and are only expected to continue.
As car parking spaces are increasingly used less, there is plenty of space to reallocate space to more secure cycle storage hangars, street trees, parklets and other sustainable uses. This would bring lots of benefits to Westminster, including adapting to climate change, reducing air pollution and making Westminster's transport and streets more accessible and inclusive for all.