Waterfront housing developments among Scottish projects to benefit from new cycle storage

More than 1,300 residents of new housing development on Granton’s waterfront expected to benefit from access to residential cycle storage

A major new mixed tenure housing development at Granton waterfront is set to benefit from dedicated, secure cycle storage, supporting more than 1,300 future residents to travel by bike more easily.

Secure cycle storage is to be provided at locations across the development, at Western Villages, Granton Gas Holder, Waterfront Avenue and Silverlea.

The City of Edinburgh Council project aims to help more people choose cycling as an affordable and sustainable way of travel for everyday journeys, and has been developed in partnership with the nation’s cycling charity, Cycling Scotland and supported by Transport Scotland grant funding.

Having nowhere safe or convenient to store a bike is a big barrier to cycling, with Cycling Scotland research showing that a third of Scottish households are likely to be living in accommodation without access to suitable cycle storage.

In total, supported projects are estimated to benefit 160,000 people by providing better access to secure cycle storage and parking where they live across Scotland: from new on-street cycle storage in Dundee, to storage for residents of high-rise properties in Aberdeen, through to bike parking at rural bus stops in Perth and Kinross.

Katharine Brough, Head of Grant Funding & Partnerships, at Cycling Scotland, said: “It’s been so positive to work in partnership with local authorities to increase access to essential, secure residential cycle storage across Scotland.

“Each of these projects will have a real impact in making cycling more accessible, helping more people to choose an affordable and sustainable way to travel for everyday journeys.

“As well as having storage at home, bike storage at key destinations where people work, shop and connect to public transport is vital in supporting more people to cycle, and helping tackle the climate emergency, health crisis and transport poverty.”

City of Edinburgh Council’s Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Scott Arthur, said: “The regeneration of Granton Waterfront will be transformative for that part of the city, opening up new sustainable homes, commercial opportunities and leisure and cultural offerings.

“It’s essential that we fully integrate sustainable, accessible travel into this. First class public transport links will be at the heart of this community, and this will be complemented with high quality active travel infrastructure.

“Providing secure cycle storage is essential for supporting people to consider cycling, and thanks to Cycling Scotland we’re going to be able to deliver hundreds of spaces throughout the area. This will connect residents and visitors to newly-upgraded cycle infrastructure connecting with the city centre and beyond.”

Case study: The impact of new on-street cycle storage in Dundee

Newly installed on-street cycle storage units in Dundee are helping make it easier for more people to travel by bike for everyday journeys across the city.

Nick Toner, a community development worker and resident of Blackness, Dundee, has found his new on-street bike storage space has made a big difference to how he travels around the city:

“Having the bike storage space has removed a mental and physical barrier for me. Just facing the idea of looking for somewhere safe to store my bike and lock it up, it was such a hassle. But now I come to work, and I have a parking spot nearby. It’s so much more convenient and it’s given me the freedom to use my bike to get around the city more often.”

Martim Mas, a resident of Stobswell, Dundee, cites his storage space as enabling him to combine cycling with public transport to travel to work: “I actually got my bike after I got my storage, because I had no space in my flat. I would’ve had to keep it inside and there was just no space.

“I use my bike now to cycle to the bus station, then to work at St Andrews. My bike is my main mode of transport across the city. Having this storage space is super convenient for me, and it’s good to know I can leave my bike there and it will be safe.