250 hire bicycles plan in bid to cut traffic congestion in North Hykeham
Up to 250 bicycles could soon be available to hire in North Hykeham as part of a drive to cut traffic congestion.
Commuters, businesses and families would be able to rent bikes under proposals inspired by London's 'Boris Bike' scheme.
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They would be based at Hykeham station and available to people who live or work in the LN6 postcode.
They could be used for commuting to work from the station, hired for use during leisure time or even borrowed by businesses to be offered to staff as 'pool' bikes.
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It is part of Lincolnshire County Council's £4.9 million Access LN6 sustainable transport scheme. Details are expected to be finalised this summer.
The council won the Department for Transport cash – to stimulate economic growth while reducing carbon emissions – in May last year.
Chantelle Grundy, local sustainable transport fund project manager at the county council, said: "We are very keen to make it even easier for people to cycle across Lincolnshire's flat and beautiful landscape by giving everyone the chance to saddle up and explore or commute in the county."
Paul Hutson, 34, owner of Arrow Cycles, in North Hykeham, said he would love to see more people getting around on bikes. "What may need some thought is how to prevent theft and whether people will appreciate what's not theirs, but having said that, this project definitely needs to be encouraged," he said.
"Cycling is definitely in vogue these days. I think more people could easily cycle to work, but even if you only go out at the weekend, it's a step in the right direction."
Echo columnist David Harby, 61, chairman of Railfuture Lincolnshire, welcomed the idea of improved facilities at Hykeham station.
"It means you could feasibly cycle from Hykeham station to Teal park, and you could go the other way into North Hykeham," said Mr Harby, of Carral Close, Lincoln.
"It gives more people the opportunity to use the station."
Meanwhile, a new website encouraging more people to cycle in Lincoln has launched.
Love to Ride Lincoln invites and challenges individual cyclists or groups of friends and colleagues to ride the length of Britain virtually – from Land's End to John O'Groats.
Find out more at www.lovetoride.net/lincoln
Comments
by Gixxerman
Tuesday, January 22 2013, 12:17AM
“This is a good idea. But why is it just for locals? I commute from Market Rasen and would really like to park my car on the outskirts of the city and cycle in. It would be quicker and also reduce conjestion. What would be very useful is a "park and cycle" scheme. Whereby, you have secure parking on the outskirts of the city and the choice to use your own cycle or hire cycle. If they could also provide secure storage for cycles as well, this would be ideal as I could leave a cycle there overnight / over weekend. I have made this suggestion to lincoln council several times now and I have yet to even receive an acknowledgement of my email never mind a suitable reply.”
by Bolshie
Monday, January 21 2013, 4:51PM
“I'm all for cycling as part of healthier lifestyle, reduced emissions etc but anyone that believes bicycles reduce traffic congestion has probably never driven in Cambridge or Amsterdam. I hope the hire cost covers compulsory public liability insurance in the same way the Boris Bike system does?”