the bikescheme and suitable parking space

lardossan

Is there any form of legal obligation for an employer to provide adequate bike parking facilities once they let their employees join the bikescheme?

I ended up buying a fairly decent bike for commuting but it turns out our building management company only offers a very limited number of parking spaces and with the increased number of people cycling in these days it's impossible to park your bike unless you get there at the crack of dawn.

Seems to me I should have stuck to the dart and saved myself the hassle of looking for somewhere to park the bike (if it's not placed in the racks it's forcibly removed) and the dosh spent on a bike I can hardly bring in work anymore. Thoughts?

Morgan

Is it up to your company or a building management company to sort this out? I guess your first step should be to approach your HR dept (if there is one) and ask them to do something about it.

Alternatively, just bring in the bike and lean it against your desk.

TurloughT

lardossan

yea, i have been onto HR and they in turn have been onto the building management company for over 12 months, but they don't see the point of adding more bike racks as it's just more work and it's free parking really whereas they charge companies in the building for their car spaces. So at the moment kind of stuck in a rut and was wandering how to further push this.

My point is that I have spent close to 1 grand to buy a bike on the assumption I could cycle to work but it would seem that I can't leave the bike there thus making it less and less convenient for me to get to work by bike than getting my car.

Gavin

Sounds like your HR aren't exactly pushing the issue? Bring the bike to your desk and when people start complaining, point them at HR.

Or see if there is some sort of closet/storage room you can appropriate in the building itself.

lardossan

oh I have commandeered a storage room for the moment and giving daily grief to HR but in fairness they are doing what they can. I still want to find some way to pressurise the building management company. Legally possibly.

stop

Just a heads up, a lot of buildings have a no bikes indoors rule, something got to do with elf n saftey I guess, maybe they're flammable?

monument

What area do you work in?

lardossan wrote: »

...(if it's not placed in the racks it's forcibly removed)...

Breaking a lock is a criminal act (not to mention against the constitution) -- on public or private property. It's criminal damage, and possible also theft.

Beasty

lardossan wrote: »

Is there any form of legal obligation for an employer to provide adequate bike parking facilities once they let their employees join the bikescheme?

None whatsoever - it's your bike, and you are responsible for looking after it. Even if they do provide parking facilities the bike remains your responsibility, so if it is stolen or damaged on company property you are very unlikely to be able to claim any compensation from your employer

uberwolf

you'd think that with a glut of vacant commercial property around the city that a landlord would be making his property as attractive as possible for tenants.

Beasty

stop wrote: »

Just a heads up, a lot of buildings have a no bikes indoors rule, something got to do with elf n saftey I guess, maybe they're flammable?

I'm pretty sure it's mainly about the risk of obstructing emergency escape routes. I also suspect some landlords are not too keen on cyclists trailing wet and muddy bikes through the common areas of a building.

SerialComplaint

lardossan wrote: »

yea, i have been onto HR and they in turn have been onto the building management company for over 12 months, but they don't see the point of adding more bike racks as it's just more work and it's free parking really whereas they charge companies in the building for their car spaces.

If there are significantly more bikes, persuade them to convert 2-3 of the existing car park spaces to accomodate say 8-10 bikes. The building owners don't lose any space that way.