Safe bicycle parking in Limerick city

denismac

Is there any safe or supervised bicycle parking in the city? There was a thread on this before but it was three years ago.

zulutango

denismac wrote: »

Is there any safe or supervised bicycle parking in the city? There was a thread on this before but it was three years ago.

There's none that I know of. I'd cycle around the city regularly and haven't come across anything.

Poxyshamrock

It's a shame really.
I'd cycle to work more often if there was such a facility.

Knowing my luck, the one day I leave it tied to a bike rack, it wouldn't be there when I came back. :P

denismac

Yes, it is a bloody shame. You would think that with all the encouragement these days to get on yer bike that someone would see a opportunity to provide some sort of secure parking. I would love to cycle to town if I could be sure that my bike would be there when I came back. It's far too easy for the scumbags to nick a bike or parts of it when it is left in the open. Maybe one of the city centre car parks might take note.

thesimpsons

LIT have a locked cage system in place where you pay a deposit for a key fob type thing or a coded number (can't remember which) and you can enter the cage and lock your bike inside. something like that would be ideal - Thomas Street car park or the one beside the court house would work cos the attendant's office is right beside a handy spot. I'd use it 2/3 times a week if it was avail. who in city hall is in charge of this cycling initiative and smart traffic systems we keep hearing about ?

gaf1983

denismac wrote: »

Maybe one of the city centre car parks might take note.

I agree, I think the car parks around town would be a perfect place for bike parking, some apartment complex car parks offer secure areas for bikes so why not offer them in public car parks?

phog

There's a yard on Roches St "Downings" I think, black timber doors. Many years ago it was a park for horse and traps when the country folk came to town.

I passed it the other day and noticed that gate open, my first time in years. It would make a super bicycle park, safe, secure and central.

zulutango

thesimpsons wrote: »

LIT have a locked cage system in place where you pay a deposit for a key fob type thing or a coded number (can't remember which) and you can enter the cage and lock your bike inside. something like that would be ideal - Thomas Street car park or the one beside the court house would work cos the attendant's office is right beside a handy spot. I'd use it 2/3 times a week if it was avail. who in city hall is in charge of this cycling initiative and smart traffic systems we keep hearing about ?

Vincent Murray, I believe.

denismac

Looking at the City Councils Pedestrian and Cyclist Strategy there should have been 'high quality cyclist parking at transport nodes' by March 2012. I don't know if any of these are in place yet but I doubt it. At least I haven't seen any and with the state of public finances at present I dont really expect to see any soon. Anyway these will be a waste of time if there is no element of security at them.
It's not that I would expect these to be provided for nothing. I would be prepared to pay an hourly charge to use such a service. However, without such a service I will not risk my valuable bicycle to an opportunist thief looking for soft touch targets and stay out of the city centre and other main shopping areas unless I am driving.

gaf1983

denismac wrote: »

'high quality cyclist parking at transport nodes'

What's a node? Sounds like City Council press release wafflespeak (we don't actually have a real plan) to me.

However, maybe it means the bike racks, like the ones on Thomas Street, Bedford Row and Upper William Street after the improvement works carried out there. They're fine, but not really any more secure than locking the bike to a lamppost.

I used to cycle to work regularly, but gave up after I came out one manky December evening (a bit like this one actually) to find my front wheel and saddle had been nicked - and my bike was locked behind where I worked at the time, away from the main streets, but the public still had access to it as it was on the way to a car park and apartments.

wingnut

gaf1983 wrote: »

However, maybe it means the bike racks, like the ones on Thomas Street, Bedford Row and Upper William Street after the improvement works carried out there. They're fine, but not really any more secure than locking the bike to a lamppost.

+ 1

We should really mobilise and get some letters out to councillors etc. What is needed is a space in one of the city car parks in view of a supervisor. Its such a pity you can't benefit from bringing a decent bike into town.

I for one would pay to know the bikes were being supervised.

Dublin are doing it right:

http://www.dublincitycycling.ie/blog/index.php/2009/10/new-cycle-parking-facility-on-drury-street/

zulutango

This is probably something that could be suggested to the Limerick Smarter Travel team. They've just been given €9 million in funding with the aim of developing some 'smarter travel' initiatives in the city and get people out of their cars and onto other forms of transport. Secure bike parking should definitely come under their remit.

thesimpsons

ok so I've emailed and contacted SMART/transport section of LCC and got reply that they'll pass it on to the relevant person - still waiting but maybe someone will take notice. I'll contact councilors next - although I hate doing that cos they always keep my name and then bombard me at election time. anyone else ready to send off a few emails / phone calls ?

http://www.limerickcity.ie/YourCouncil/ElectedMembers/

zulutango

thesimpsons wrote: »

ok so I've emailed and contacted SMART/transport section of LCC and got reply that they'll pass it on to the relevant person - still waiting but maybe someone will take notice. I'll contact councilors next - although I hate doing that cos they always keep my name and then bombard me at election time. anyone else ready to send off a few emails / phone calls ?

http://www.limerickcity.ie/YourCouncil/ElectedMembers/

Check out this page for more on Smarter Travel. They've moved into an office in the Granary building, but I haven't found contact details for them yet, although their facebook page is active.

http://www.limerickcity.ie/Transport/StrategiesandPlans/SmarterTravel/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Limerick-Smarter-Travel/100110293465202


As for councillors, your best bet to contact, in my opinion, would be Gerry McLoughlin, Maurice Quinlivan, Diarmuid Scully, Kathleen Leddin and maybe Marie Byrne. The others aren't really up to much, and especially not when it comes to cycling.

wingnut

I'm on for that. Should be come up with a template for the mail and get a bit of a campaign going?

what_traffic

wingnut wrote: »

I'm on for that. Should be come up with a template for the mail and get a bit of a campaign going?

Maybe make contact with: Limerick Cycling Campaign?
http://limerickcycling.wordpress.com/

Limerick Dude

First of all, people should watch this video on how to safely lock their bike, its crazy to see some of the examples in the video and you even see poor examples around Limerick.

I know there are a few designated bicycle locking places in town, similar to the ones that you see at 1:47 in the video below. I'm pretty sure there are two across the road from Debenhams and a few on the pedestrianised area around Thomas St, Catherine St. Does anyone know of any more? I got a new job in town and will be aiming to cycle to work most days to save money on petrol and parking.

Mc Love

Think there is some down the side of Dunnes on Henry St