Minister opens £1.5m Bike Hub at Brighton railway station

Rail minister Baroness Kramer has opened a new £1.5 million Bike Hub at Brighton railway station which provides secure parking space for 500 bicycles.

The facility takes the total number of bike parking spaces around the station to 800 and is open to everyone, regardless of whether they are taking a train.

The building that also houses a café and a repair and maintenance workshop, while a keep-fit studio, showers, changing rooms and accessible toilets will be added shortly.

It was paid for through a £650,000 grant by the Department for Transport, with local contributions from Brighton & Hove City Council, Southern Railway and Network Rail.

Baroness Kramer said: “Our ambition is to encourage people to cycle more often. This government has announced £15 million of funding to improve cycling facilities at rail stations and hubs like this one in Brighton will help make that vision a reality.

“We are serious about getting people on their bike and this fantastic facility will make it easier and more convenient for people to cycle to and from their station. Cyclists will be able to leave their bike with confidence knowing it will be safe and secure.”

Baroness Kramer ar Brighton Bike Hub (picture: Southern)

Ian Davey, deputy leader of Brighton & Hove City Council’s and lead member for transport, commented: “Brighton station is one of the country’s busiest stations and the new cycle hub is part of a wider scheme to provide a much improved welcome to people arriving in the city.

“Cycling to work in Brighton & Hove has more than doubled over the past four years and I hope these first class facilities will encourage more residents, commuters and visitors to choose cycling as their mode of transport into and around the city.”

The Brighton facility joins existing Bike Hubs on the Southern network at Haywards Heath and Worthing, with two more currently being built at Lewes and Hassocks, and another planned for Horsham.