The biggest bicycle parking in the world - TACTIC SPORT

The biggest bicycle parking in the world

Utrecht is the fastest growing city in the Netherlands with fast-expanding mobility. To maintain the human scale and medieval feeling of the city they have a sustainable mobility plan prioritising pedestrians, cyclists and public transport. One of the areas that needed improving was the area around the train station. The city needed a bicycle parking space for the largest public-transport hub in The Netherlands. What was created became the centrepiece of a regeneration project in Utrecht with 12,500 spaces for bike parking.

The biggest bicycle parking in the world   The biggest bicycle parking in the world

Before the regeneration of the Utrecht Rail Station area, the Hoog Catharijne Shopping Centre, The exhibition Centre and Station were massed together in a megastructure dating back to the 1960s. Now completed, the shopping centre and station are connected by an iconic structure of honeycomb structure of steel and glass and the whole area has been revitalised. But the €30 million bike parking structure is the centrepiece of it all.

The installation in Utrecht exceeds the former holder of the title by some margin. And it doesn’t just beat the 9,000-space-bike parking in Tokyo on size. The Utrecht Station Bike Parking does not rely upon mechanical systems to store bikes in areas that are not accessible. Instead, all of the 12,500 spaces can be accessed safely by bike by following the one-way cycle lanes and electronic displays to available space. All in under 5 minutes as per the design brief.

The biggest bicycle parking in the world

The Bike Parking wasn’t just needed to replace the existing station-run basement that was in place. In a country of 17 million people and 22.5 million bicycles, the 30-year push for the bicycle to be the main mode of transport has had a profound effect. Therefore, there is a huge demand for a facility like this, but it is free to users for the first day and costs €1.25 per day after that.

" The Dutch preference for the bike could save its economy an estimated €19 billion per year. "

A study done at Utrecht University quantified the health benefits from Dutch cycling levels

The average Dutch person cycles 1,000 km per year, not the average cyclist, but the everyday person rides that far. 32% of journeys in the country’s capital which rises to 43% in Utrecht are completed by bike. The Dutch’s love for the bike means it isn’t just enough to build it big.

The biggest bicycle parking in the world   The biggest bicycle parking in the world

The design of Utrecht’s Bike Parking by Ector Hoogstad is a glass, steel and concrete cathedral for bicycles. The large stairwells and glassed atria allow natural light to enter all levels of the facility and low-energy LEDs light up the space. The other materials have been selected for their durability and the construction took 5 years to complete. The details of the design also 480 include spaces for irregular bikes such as tandems and cargo bikes, service areas and a fleet of 1,000 bike-sharing bikes.

Since the staggered opening in August 2017, Utrecht Station Bike Parking is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Users of the +1 floor often walk to offices in the vicinity and users of -1 tend to be rail users, who have direct access to the platforms. Visitors and delegates from around the world are impressed by the design and success of the project, but how will other countries follow the Netherlands’ lead in the push for greener transport?

The biggest bicycle parking in the world
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