The Central City Bike Hubs project is one of the component projects of the Shaping Future Dunedin Transport programme adopted in the 10 year Plan 2021 to 2031.
The Central City Bike Hubs project aims to provide bike parking facilities that support and promote cycling and scooting as a viable travel option for commuters and visitors to the central city - be it daily long commutes or short trips between places of work, shops, education facilities or other destinations within the wider central city. This project contributes to providing better conditions for cycling as a form of transport – .
Bike hubs have higher security and capacity than standard cycle stands and are intended for all-day or long-stay parking. Around the world bike hubs are common near key destinations such as train stations and employment centres. We know that many people would cycle into the CBD if there were places where they could safely lock/secure their bike or scooter, have some shelter and potentially include other facilities such as repair services, bike and scooter hire, toilets, showers, lockers, café or gym.
There are generally three types of bike hubs:
High-security bike racks
Locking is built into the system, rather than the user providing the lock. A roof is optional.
Typical capacity: 5-10
Stand-alone enclosures
Bike lockers, bike hangers, lightweight shelters and single-purpose small structures.
Typical capacity: 1-10
Indoor bike stations
Bike parking is one of several uses within a permanent building. Access is usually controlled.
Typical capacity: Unlimited
Bike hubs can vary in what facilities are offered. These may include:
- Wayfinding signage to direct cyclists to the bike hubs
- Sheltered secure cycle storage
- Facilities such as repair/maintenance services, toilets/showers, café, lockers
- Cycle hire
- Information e.g. cycle maps, route planning, active travel and road safety promotion, bike maintenance education
How did we get here?
We completed a business case to investigate:
- what bike hubs people need and would use,
- what are suitable bike hub locations and facility types, and
- how they can be implemented and managed.
A range of possible sites were determined by stakeholders following public engagement.
The preferred delivery option is to progress as many small and medium scale hubs as possible using a combination of:
- working with a commercial supplier to provide enhanced security pods of 5 or more stands
- and to provide two to five secured hubs either as standalone structures or within parking buildings
What happens next?
We are about to commence work on detailed design and construction for the first bike hub, which will be installed at the Otago Museum.
We will provide further updates as the project progresses. Construction of the hub is planned to start in 2023/2024.