Bicycle riding is getting more and more popular in European cities as they transition to a more sustainable future. This is certainly true of cities in The Netherlands where commuting to work or school by bicycle is the norm.
But making changes to transition from cars to bikes is often complex and not always welcomed, reported Fast Company. Now, some Dutch cities, are letting neighborhoods trial the change – to see if the parking is used and desired - before making it permanent.
Bicycle Platforms
A parking spot for one car and actually holds 10 bicycles but before any permanent changes occur, a fietsvlonde or bicycle platform can let the neighborhood test out the proposed parking change. The temporary platforms contain racks for eight to ten bikes.
A recent installation in The Hague – the third largest city in the country – was on a narrow brick street of row houses. Most of the residents of the street own bicycles but have no place to store them and frequently leave them on sidewalks making it difficult for people to walk safely.
“A bicycle platform is an excellent way to get used to a new situation,” Yvonne Schutte, a project leader for the city of The Hague, told Fast Company. “Over time, the objections fade. Everyone sees that the bicycle platform is immediately put to good use, that there is a real need for it, and that one ‘sacrificed’ parking space makes hardly any difference in the parking pressure.”
After two months, the residents were given the chance to provide feedback about the bicycle parking and 86 percent of the people liked the change. The city installed a permanent bike rack and the temporary platform was moved to a new location.
Bicycle parking in Rotterdam
The idea for the platforms came from Rotterdam by city planners who were coming up with ideas to get people to bike more and use their cars less. After it was tested in one city center location, the idea snowballed and now the fietsvlonders are a standard tool. There are currently 70 temporary platforms and almost 90 parking spots have been transitioned from car parking.
In addition to the bicycle platforms, over 1,100 spaces were added to the central station for commuters, reported Inside Rotterdam. This facility is in exactly the right spot city councilor Judith Bokhove of mobility, youth and language told Inside Rotterdam.
“From this parking facility, you can be on the platform within a few minutes. Ideal for taking your bike to the station and then catching the train. And of course the other way round: if you arrive in Rotterdam by train, you can quickly cycle into the city,” she said.
According to Park4Sump, an organization that helps cities innovate creative parking solutions, bicycle use is growing so much in Rotterdam that 60,000 new spots will be needed by 2030 and indoor parking facilities are being considered.
With more and more cities going greener, bicycle riding will continue to gain traction. Innovative solutions like the temporary parking platforms will help neighborhoods make the change.
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