Green travel gets boost in Winchester thanks to city centre cycle shelters
Two new covered cycle shelters have been installed in Winchester as part of plans to encourage cycling and boost green travel in the city centre.
One of the new shelters, located at Colebrook Street car park, has five cycle stands with a cargo cycle stand for cargo bikes and trailer bikes, to be installed alongside the shelter. The second shelter, which reallocates car parking bays for cycle stands at Middle Brook Street car park, has nine cycle stands installed, including three cargo stands. Both shelters will be lit using solar power.
This is the first stage in improving Winchester cycle parking provision which will include the provision of additional cycle stands across the city centre, making it easier for visitors to choose cycling as an option when visiting the city centre.
The shelters and cycle stands use funding secured by Hampshire County Council, via from Active Travel England’s Active Travel Fund and are part of the two organisations’ joint Winchester Movement Strategy – which sets out an agreed vision and long-term priorities for travel and transport improvements in Winchester over the next two decades.
The Movement Strategy aims to reduce city centre traffic, support healthier lifestyle choices and invest in infrastructure to support sustainable growth.
Winchester City Council’s Cabinet lead for the Climate Emergency Cllr Kelsie Learney said:
“It is fantastic to see an increasing number of people are using our cycle parking and we have found that in some places usage is nearing capacity. These newer, modern cycle stations are being installed as a first phase in improving cycle parking across the district. We know as a district we need to go greener faster and providing infrastructure which makes it easier for people to choose an alternative to the car will help to reach our ambitions.
Working in partnership will help us achieve more for our residents, and I am pleased to see
the first part of this collaboration coming to fruition and look forward to seeing the initiative extend to our market towns and villages too.”
Hampshire County Council’s Executive Lead Member for Universal Services, Councillor Nick Adams-King, said:
“I am delighted that the County Council has been able to provide funding for this suite of cycling parking improvements in Winchester city centre. The new facilities will provide secure cycle parking for both bikes and bike trailers, which we hope will encourage more people to take to two wheels when travelling into the city.”