A free-to-use bicycle repair stand has opened at Paddington, the busy London train station, to allow commuters to fix punctures and minor mechanicals. It’s claimed to be the first installation of its kind at a major UK railway station.
Paddington station’s temporary bike parking arrangements have been drastically overhauled as part of the changes. The new, custom-designed park is on platform nine, can hold approximately 350 bikes and features row numbers to help riders remember where they park.
A number of cameras are trained on the facility, which has been designed to be more in keeping with the station’s architecture. The installation was completed at the end of January and will be officially opened on 14 March 2013 by transport minister Norman Baker.
The robust repair stand features an air pump capable of 120psi, plus an array of tools such as Allen keys and a shifting spanner, all secured at the end of 8mm steel cables.
The new parking arrangements and pit stop facilities were designed by Anthony Lau, founder of Cyclehoop, a London-based architecture and design company specialising in cycle parking facilities.
“The feedback’s been really good,” Lau told BikeRadar. “People like using the tools and pump. We’re going to try and get into another Network Rail station around the UK, and someone in Leicester is potentially ordering a few.
“It’s the first pump and repair stand we’ve put in as part of a bike park, and hopefully this then means less people abandon their bikes in stations, which was a problem before.” The free-to-use tools can be replaced when they wear out, he added.