October 2010
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Spokes tenements storage survey

No storage facilities in flat, and would be unable to keep in the stair. Would love to have a bike!

Results of the Spokes online survey of flat and tenement dwellers who use a bike (or would like to) provide striking evidence of the seriousness of domestic storage problems, and its likely impact on cycling levels in central areas of Edinburgh.  Many thanks to everyone who took part in the survey.

For full details, see our analysis of results [pdf 240k] and the complete data [pdf 244k].  The issues will be fully discussed, along with possible solutions, at our Nov 25 Public Meeting on bike storage at home and at work.

Being an online public survey, the 100 respondents are of course self-selected, and not a representative sample.   However the responses, the speed with which our target of 100 respondents were reached, and the feedback from councillors and community contacts, suggest this is a major issue.  Our results are very useful in highlighting how seriously many people are affected, the different types of problems, and some of the possible solutions.

Summary of results:

  • Cycle storage is a significant problem for many tenement/flat residents in Edinburgh – the majority of respondents (86%) said it was inconvenient to some degree. Nearly a third said that storage problems stopped them from cycling as much as they’d like. Only 14% said that they didn’t experience difficulties. Furthermore, over half of respondents – taken to be generally sympathetic to cycling and bike storage – found other people’s bikes to be a problem where they lived.
  • The majority of respondents try and store their bike indoors somewhere – outside parking overnight is not seen as viable given weather, risk of theft, vandalism etc.
  • Residents in new-build developments also experience storage problems, despite design standards etc.
  • The survey results point to strong interest in tackling storage problems in order to be able to cycle more, suggesting that tackling storage could have a substantial impact on city cycling levels.  40% left comments about using their bike more if problems were resolved.
  • The vast majority of respondents (92%) said that clear practical information on possible bike storage solutions (in-flat, in-stair, backgreen or on-street) would be of interest. 85% said they would discuss options with neighbours/ other stairwell residents with a view to collective action (in stairwell/backgreen/on-street); 41% said they would look at buying equipment etc to make practical improvements within their own home. 52% said they would lobby councillors/others to take action on behalf of residents.
  • There seems to be significant interest in tackling problems in a more systematic, collective way, to provide quick, easy access to secure, dry storage, at ground-level or on-street. Will the Council, landlords and developers join tenement/flat residents in real positive action on this?

Further project information:

Spokes Nov 25 Public Meeting on bike storage at home and at work

Spokes flats/tenements project downloads page + contacts for more info

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