Introduction

1.1 The initiative

Many municipalities face challenges related to bicycle parking, especially concerning the implementation of bicycle parking facilities. Specifically, in locations with high visitor traffic and limited space, inadequate bicycle parking can lead to inconvenience and even dangerous situations. Simultaneously, the lack of safe and accessible bicycle parking at popular destinations discourages many people from cycling.

While many places have implemented large-scale, indoor, and often secured bicycle storage facilities, and despite a significant need for bicycle parking in these areas, cyclists don't always utilize them. The mere presence of a bicycle storage facility doesn't guarantee its use. Cyclists must want to, be able to, and dare to use the facility. The quality and accessibility of the facility are crucial here.

Larger municipalities often possess the capacity, expertise, and budgets to address these aspects, but this is less feasible for smaller municipalities. This "Indoor Bicycle Parking Checklist" was developed specifically for these smaller municipalities. This checklist offers a practical guide that takes project leaders and developers step-by-step through the design of indoor bicycle parking facilities.

1.2 Methods

The initiative for the " checklist Indoor Bicycle Parking " comes from CROW, which recognized a valuable opportunity in a completed student master's thesis to develop existing knowledge on bicycle parking facilities into a practical tool. The student's research included identifying essential quality criteria for a successful indoor bicycle storage facility; this thesis prompted further development of these insights. A project group of 14 bicycle parking specialists from various disciplines and municipalities was formed, meeting repeatedly to develop, test, and refine the checklist.

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Those Involved

The following experts and organizations contributed their knowledge and practical experience to the process:

  • Haskoning B.V.
  • Würck Architects
  • Rijnders Traffic Consultants
  • Movares
  • Fietsersbond (Cyclists' Union )
  • Goudappel
  • Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) - Dutch Railways
  • U-stal
  • Municipality of Zwolle
  • Municipality of Utrecht
  • Municipality of Eindhoven
  • Municipality of The Hague
  • Municipality of Apeldoorn
  • Municipality of Leiden

What already existed and how It was incorporated into this checklist

The development process consisted of several phases leading to a practical and usable checklist. It began with reviewing existing handbooks and guidelines (see list below) to gather relevant knowledge and planning multiple sessions where the project group met to provide feedback on the various versions developed. These draft versions were evaluated and adjusted, ultimately resulting in a version best suited to the needs of the users of bicycle storage facilities.

During this process, the quality criteria were divided into the following themes. These themes structure the checklist, making it clear and more applicable:

  1. Target Group
  2. Surroundings
  3. Access
  4. Inside the Facility
  5. Operations/Management
  6. Sustainability

The checklist's development utilized existing knowledge and guidelines, including:

  • Thesis: "Quality Requirements for Large Indoor Bicycle Parking Facilities," Dennis Bouwmeester
  • Do's and Don'ts of Bicycle Parking, NS (Dutch Railways
  • Manual for bicycle parking 2023, CROW
  • Fietsparkeerkencijfers 2025, CROW
  • Handbook on Bicycle Parking, Municipality of Eindhoven
  • Basic Specification for Indoor Bicycle Parking Facilities, Municipality of Amsterdam
  • Menu of Bicycle Parking Facilities at Stations, ProRail

1.3 What is the outcome of the method?

The project group sessions led to a significant adjustment: to better align the Checklist with practical application and allow for stepwise use by municipalities and project developers, it was transformed into a step-by-step plan. Furthermore, the Checklist was tested during a workshop, for example, in the Laag Catherijne bicycle parking facility in Utrecht. This practical session provided valuable insights and demonstrated how the Checklist can be applied in practice. The current version of the Bicycle Parking Checklist is unique. This checklist offers a practical solution that supports municipalities in realizing indoor bicycle parking facilities that meet the wishes and needs of users.

1.4 Accompanying note: Checklist indoor bicycle parking

The ‘Checklist indoor bicycle parking’ was developed to support municipalities, project developers, and other professionals in realizing high-quality indoor bicycle parking facilities. It offers a practical, step-by-step approach that helps design and build facilities that users want to, can, and dare to use. 

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