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Is this the Netherlands, or Chelmsford? ask cyclists faced with hundreds of bikes parked at stationChelmsford bike parking - image courtesy of Juliette Maxam (Abellio Greater Anglia)

Is this the Netherlands, or Chelmsford? ask cyclists faced with hundreds of bikes parked at station

From certain angles, if you squint, just maybe... Chelmsford's bike parking does actually resemble a scene from the Netherlands...
by Laura Laker
Mon, Dec 19, 2016 16:51
7

It’s perhaps not every day Chelmsford is mistaken for a town in the Netherlands, but the cycle parking at its railway station – and the numbers of bikes parked there – have encouraged the comparison.

In July 2013 1,000 bike parking spaces were installed at Chelmsford Station, the first of five CyclePoint facilities installed across Abellio Greater Anglia’s stations.

The train company is owned by Abellio which iis the international arm of the Dutch national rail operator Nederlandse Spoorwegen.

It says that Chelmsford station's cycle parking which, like other CyclePoint facilities includes changing rooms as well as cycle parking, is “regularly close to capacity”.

Cambridge Railway Station's new CyclePoint opens (+ gallery)

Paul Oxley, Greater Anglia Stakeholder Manager, said: "CyclePoint is a Dutch concept which we introduced for the first time in our region at Chelmsford.

Chelmsford bike parking - image courtesy of Juliette Maxam (Abellio Greater Anglia)

“The facility has proved a great success, judging from the number of people using it, no doubt partly because the station is within a few minutes’ walk from the city centre. We are always keen to improve our integrated transport arrangements. Earlier this year we reached a landmark of cycle parking available at all of our stations."

Inevitably, someone is keen to point out it can’t be the Netherlands - because of the masonry.

As well as cycle parking, Abellio Greater Anglia offers or will offer CyclePark PLUS – secure fob-access cycle parking, at 18 of its stations, and Bike & Go at 14 stations, bicycles for hire for a passenger’s onward journey from their destination station.  

Chelmsford
Cycle parking
Abellio Greater Anglia
Laura Laker

Laura Laker is a freelance journalist with more than a decade’s experience covering cycling, walking and wheeling (and other means of transport). Beginning her career with road.cc, Laura has also written for national and specialist titles of all stripes. One part of the popular Streets Ahead podcast, she sometimes appears as a talking head on TV and radio, and in real life at conferences and festivals. She is also the author of Potholes and Pavements: a Bumpy Ride on Britain’s National Cycle Network.

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7 comments

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johnl | 8 years ago
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Corrections needed to this article.  The Cyclepoint unit closed several months ago, so no access to " Bike & Go" cycles nor changing rooms.  Greater Anglia were given £160,000 in 2015 by Government to add extra cycle racks to those in the photo, but GA have not done that, so you see bikes chained to posts.

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Deeferdonk | 8 years ago
0 likes

I'm not a big fan of the restrictions that Abellio put on taking bikes on the local network around the Dunwich Dynamo. Although it did motivate me to do it on a folding bike this year to get round the restrictions, which was fun!

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Andrew Southard | 8 years ago
2 likes
Quote:

I think I know the answer but don't you ever read the articles you produce?

What fun would that be?

Avatar
FrankH | 8 years ago
0 likes
Quote:

In July 2013 1,000 bike parking spaces were installed at Chelmsford Station, the first of five CyclePoint facilities installed across Abellio Greater Anglia’s stations.

According to the train company, Cheltenham Station’s cycle parking which, like other CyclePoint facilities includes changing rooms as well as cycle parking, is “regularly close to capacity”.

Cheltenham or Chelmsford?

I think I know the answer but don't you ever read the articles you produce? sad

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ktache | 8 years ago
0 likes

I had my best train/bicycle experience on the East Anglian network.

I had to get a bike to Ipswich, so that I could visit the other half in hospital, and not spend the whole day on the buses going back and forth because of the restrictive visiting hours.  Initially tried to buy a good second hand in Ipswich's bike shop, but was treated with contemp at what appeared to be a good one near the hospital and so was discouraged.  Borrowed a friends (New wheels, tyres and cables, fair deal).

I am used to the need to book/fear of Virgin and Great Western intercity, (but a great fan of GW local services).  Phoned up East Anglian, said no need to book.  So was concerned.

Friday evening comes Reading-Paddington easy as because so many trains I knew if I couldn't get on one I could get on the next, felt strange sclepping the bike on the not so deep underground, always being prepared to wait for a quiet one, and got to Liverpool Street.  Said hello to the guard, and wandered down the HST/Intercity 125, opened the door expecting Virgin's cubicle or Great Westerns tiny guard box and found a space that could easily accomodate 50 bicycles, of all configerations.  With stands, better than most bike parking I use, that I could lock my bike to.   Far better than the distant memories of how cross countries HST used to be or the guards van on the slam door locals.

Local stopping when I had to take the bike back, but I will remember that one journey with fondness as an example of how it could be.

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PaulBox | 8 years ago
10 likes

If you build it, they will come.

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ibike | 8 years ago
2 likes

Impressive indeed, but you can tell it's not the Netherlands by looking at the type of bikes in the racks. A very British mix of MTBs, fixies and bike-shaped-objects. :- )

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