New safe and secure bike parking for Bath

A new sustainable travel bike venture has launched at Green Park Station in Bath providing safe and secure indoor bike parking and servicing.

Green Park Bike Station founders Ian Mitcham and Tomas Jenkins developed the idea after seeing its success in Europe, the US and Australia and are confident that their bike station "encourages people to sustainably travel into the city centre, whether commuting or for pleasure."

With help from BusinessLink in Bath, Ian and Tom looked at problems facing cyclists including theft and a lack of safe and secure parking within city centre workplaces. They carried out a survey through road.cc, a Bath based cycling web site, which indicated that people thought the idea was excellent and would encourage them to cycle into the city centre more frequently. With all this evidence in hand, Ian and Tom discussed the idea with Ethical Property, managers of Green Park Station, when an opportunity came up to rent a unit.

The old train station is ideally situated close to the Bristol-Bath cycle path and a short two-minute walk to the centre of the city. Ethical Property were very supportive of the idea as it meets their values and objectives to promote local, environmental and ethical enterprise.

As well as being a 'multistorey for bikes', the Bike Station is also a service centre. Ian has 15 years servicing experience, including repairing many specialist touring, mountain and road bikes, and both Ian and Tom promise the personal advice and support needed to maintain a safe cycle.

Katherine Morgan, Marketing and Events Coordinator from Green Park Station says: ”We are delighted to welcome Green Park Bike Station to our building. It adds to the other sustainable transport organisations that we support and work with, including CTC and the City Car Club. We hope it will help to increase cycling as a sustainable form of commuter transport in Bath”.

In addition to their business, Tom and Ian are keen to help educate people about the benefits of bikes. Ian says: “We are working with MentoringPlus in Bath on a programme for young people to learn about cycle maintenance. The aim of this is to give youngsters confidence and skills. Ian and Tom have also signed up with Bristol City College to take on a Bath based apprentice, again to support the development of young people in the city."

For more on Green Park Bike Station please visit: www.greenparkbikestation.com/index.htm

Better By Bike provides further advice about bicycle security at: www.betterbybike.info/bicycle-security