Council To Press Ahead with Next Round of Bike Hangars |
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Most of the sites chosen are in Chiswick and Isleworth
February 1, 2024 Hounslow Council is to press ahead with the installation of nine new bike hangars across the borough four of which are in Chiswick with another four in Isleworth. These will add to the 23 hangars put in place so far by the council, 21 of which are fully subscribed by residents renting space to park their bikes. Three of these bike hangars have a waiting list of fifty or more residents and eleven bike hangars have a waiting list of ten of more. In total there are 462 people on the waiting list and the council would need to install 77 new bike hangars to meet this demand. £70,000 in funding has been given by the Greater London Authority to support the programme and the latest round of nine hangars are expected to cost £45,000. The council held a consultation on each location with 66 responses received. Overall, 30 respondents were in favour of installation of a bike hangar, and 32 were against. The choice of sites that were consulted on were based upon locations that have limited access to cycle parking (i.e. terraced houses and flats were prioritised), the age of the request, alongside the number of similar requests received within the nearby vicinity or multiple requests on the same road. They will be installed in the following locations;
The most controversial of the site was Hartham Road in Isleworth with 20 out of 24 responses against mainly due to concerns that the hangar will add to existing pressure on parking spaces. The council says that, while taking into account this feedback, it does not believe that the hangar will impact existing parking provision. On Flanders Road in Chiswick, a spot originally consulted on in November 2022 has been switched to be adjacent to a site without an active frontage. The request for the hangar was received from a resident of Flanders Mansions and five people supported the proposals with three against. Objectors said a nearby hangar on Gainsborough Road could be used but that is already fully subscribed. The council originally proposed a location on Duke Road in Chiswick but ultimately decided to place the hangar on Quick Road which received the support of three residents and an objection from one. There are three bike hangars near this location, but they are all over subscribed. On Sutherland Road in Chiswick, the council had consulted first on a location back in October 2022 but this was next to an existing EV charging point therefore an alternative location was sought. Of the ten comments received, eight were in favour. The Council consulted residents in October 2022 on proposals for a bike hangar in Oxford Gardens but residents pointed out this was next to a turning into a cul-de-sac. Six out of ten households responding were in favour of the alternative location. For Linkfield Road in Isleworth two residents objected on the basis that the hangar was a waste of money and that the hangar on Kendall Road was not fully subscribed. For the Hangar on Malting Way all four of the residents who responded were in favour and expressed interest in renting a space. Only one person responded to the proposal to put a hangar on Wood Lane in Isleworth saying that properties have sufficient storage for bike users and that the flats on the road had bike storage. However, the council says that the facility at the flat is fully subscribed and the location was chosen after requests from residents of the development. Each of the hangars will have six spaces and can be rented at a cost of £36 per annum, plus a refundable deposit for a key, payable to Cyclehoop. To apply for a new bike hangar location, you need to complete a short eform. Click HERE to access.
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