The project was set up to eliminate the potential health and safety/fire hazard caused by staff residents keeping their bicycles in communal hallways, or in their bedrooms. There are 24 bedrooms for onsite staff, in a low storey block. Bicycles were found to be blocking fire exits and escape routes, and also making it more difficult to check sockets etc in rooms for electrical safety. Storing bicycles inside also was leading to marks on the paintwork and increasing the rate of general wear and tear.
There are plenty of cycle racks on the WMUH site, but not near the accommodation, and also not secure or patrolled overnight. As the hospital site is open to the public and used as a walking route, staff residents did not feel comfortable leaving their bicycles parked at the current provision. There have been a number of recent thefts or damages made to bicycles in the area.
Therefore there was an idenitfied need for safe and secure bicycle parking. Due to the nature of the site, this had to take up as little ground space as possible and blend in as much as possible to the environment. The solution was the installation of 8 vertical Bikeaway lockers.
A deposit system has been set up. The padlocks which come with the lockers are not that secure, so as part of the scheme's terms and conditions, users are required to buy their own padlock. When they sign up for the use of a locker a £10 deposit is required. The aim of this is to ensure that when they leave the accommodation , they let Terri know that they are vacating to recieve the money back. This means that the management can secure the lockers with an original padlock to prevent vandalism, and advertise it to a new user.
WMUH all on one site
As the Hospital was actively promoting cycling, it was necessary to increase the facilities available. It was also a necessity to ensure Health and Safety guidelines were adhered to in the resident staff accommodation.
Cycle Works Ltd http://www.cycle-works.com/home/ They managed the project and sourced the lockers from Bikeaway.
Bikeaway provided the lockers http://www.bikeaway.com/
Not directly related, but we hope to work with Streetcar to promote the use of a streetcar for business related trips. This requires getting the Executive on board, and the promotion of the personal financial benefits (reduced costs), even if this means that the scheme would initially be an expense for the trust. Again - linked to trying to change people's attitudes and habits. WMUH already has a car parking policy based on salary, adn spaces are not allocated if you live within 1.5 miles of the site.
£5651.75 for the lockers including VAT, delivery and installation. Also £2,500 for the creation of a hard-standing cement base and small surrounding area for the lockers.