Waiting for the Ambulance

Time to get my bike sorted, so it was off to the Bicycle Ambulance repair service at the Park Street Cycle Park. Just in case you don't know the location, it's on the basement level of the Park Street car park.  That's the one near Magdalene Street which has all the architectural merit of the recently demolished car park in Gateshead but without the benefit of a cult film association. 

While Rick was attending to another customer I had a look around the cycle park  which was opened in July 2002.  The conversion cost ca. £75,000, and at the time was the largest indoor city centre cycle park in the country.  But before we get too carried away it's worth looking at a few details.  

The cycle park receives little natural light and aside from a bicycle-inspired mural near the entrance the walls are badly scuffed or simply bare concrete.  The ceiling lights are dim and old car park markings still remain on the floor.  This is not a particularly welcoming environment and overall compares unfavourably with the recent Brunel West car park to cycle park conversion in Swindon.

Yet on the plus side there are plenty of well-spaced, secure, parking stands available, including ca. 100 rounded A stands and seven extended Sheffield stands suitable for tandems or trailers. 

For those cyclists who prefer lockers to racks, the cycle park is equipped with 19 vertical lockers (by Bikeaway) and 12 wider horizontal lockers (by Glazdon).  These are available through the City Council for £10 a week after leaving a £30 deposit.

Another City Council scheme - and a brilliant one - allows those with a young child, to park at the cycle park, borrow a free push chair at the Bicycle Ambulance shop and continue around town. 

Recently 14 "swimming pool" style lockers - large enough to store clothing, helmet or pannier - have appeared.  It looks as though they ought to operate with a refundable one pound coin but none of the lockers had keys in when I visited.  Then again, neither did similar lockers at the Grand Arcade cycle park the last time I looked.

News just in.  The car park will shortly require significant structural repair work which may cost ca. £2 million.  A future change of use is not out of the question.