London, 1,000 “Boris bikes” stranded..[ 1654 ]

1,000 Boris bikes kept off roads as residents object

Docking in: commuters at Waterloo with the Boris bikes

Ross Lydall and Emma Worthington
Standard co.uk., 17.08.10

Α series of bizarre protests from residents has left 1,000 “Boris bikes” stranded in an underground garage and unable to be used by cyclists.Councils have refused to grant permission for 76 docking stations, meaning that Transport for London can only put 5,000 of the 6,000 hire bikes on the street.

One group of residents claimed it would be a “violation of their human rights” if a docking station were to be built outside their mansion block in Bloomsbury. 

Another complaint centred on the fact that the bikes would be positioned under a tree and would be covered in bird-droppings. Many residents have expressed concern that the bikes would be used by drunken revellers indulging in “horseplay”. One Kensington resident said anybody wanting to cycle “will already own a bike”. 

An Evening Standard investigation has found that Westminster council has refused 29 docking stations. Twelve have been refused in Kensington and Chelsea, seven in Camden, six each in Islington — including one in Boris Johnson's street — the City of London and Lambeth, five in Southwark, two each in the Royal Parks and in Tower Hamlets and one in Hackney.

The shortage of docking stations — there are 335 at present, 65 short of the 400 that should have been in place for the £140 million scheme's launch on July 30 — has left 1,000 bikes, each costing around £350, stranded in TfL contactor Serco's depot in Islington.

It has also meant that “Boris bikers” have complained about shortages of cycles at Waterloo and other mainline stations, and of a dire shortage of docking stations around Covent Garden. Serco has now deployed staff to Waterloo to ensure there are extra bikes and docking points during the morning and evening rush-hours.

Camden council's planing committee turned down an application for a 30-bike docking station in Torrington Place, Bloomsbury, after 30 residents turned up to complain.

Andrew Marshall, a Tory member of the committee, called on other public organisations in central London, such as universities and hospitals, to help find space for docking stations. 

A TfL spokeswoman said: “We have worked closely with the boroughs to identify the most suitable locations for docking stations and, as the planning authorities, they make the final decision and 76 sites that we applied for were turned down.

“We will continue to work with the boroughs to add to these... and remain on track to have 400 docking stations across the centre of the capital.”