As cycling becomes ever more popular in Camden the demand for street cycle hangars to store their bikes is soaring. The waiting list in the borough alone has been estimated at “thousands”.
Already there are 371 in the borough and the council plans to add at least 125 more each year. Each hangar has space for around six bikes and riders pay £36 a year to rent a slot with a £25 deposit. It’s estimated there are currently around 30 applicants for every hangar. A welcome revenue source for Camden.
They are considered generally safe and secure but there have been isolated cases of hangars broken into and bicycles stolen. A spokesman for Cyclehoop, one of the main suppliers, said: ” They are not impervious to attack but serious angle grinders are needed to break in”.
Another rider said: “I wouldn’t leave my best bike in one of those but if I did I’d use two or three big locks and a chain.” And the editor of Cycling Plus magazine James Costley-White said: “Bike hangers aren’t a perfect solution – sadly, anything on public display is liable to become a target for thieves or vandals, and nothing is impregnable to power tools. However, they’re a deterrent, and can be the only option for people without a shed, garage or space to store a bike in their home. They certainly provide more security than locking your bike to a lamp post”.
Hangar locations can cause problems in Belsize Park. Protests have been made by a group of residents in Lancaster Drive when planners proposed to site two hangars directly outside a residential address. Talks with Camden were going on to resolve the problem.
Despite the local issues, given the demand, it’s clear more cycle hangars will become a common sight on Belsize streets.
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