In the second part of Interreg Europe’s Cycling Cities series, Isabel Garnika Ortiz from the Environmental Studies Centre (CEA) in the Vitoria-Gasteiz City Council spoke about the new smart network of secure parking for bicycles in Vitoria-Gasteiz.
Vitoria-Gasteiz is a medium-sized city with a population of approximately 253,996 inhabitants who mostly work within the city limits. It is also a compact, pedestrian scale city with a cycling network of 160 km, easily making cycling a popular choice of mobility. The recent growth and latest urban developments in the city have also increased the bicycle use and citizen demands for more secure cycling parking spaces.
When asked for the possible reasons for not using a bike, one of the answers from the public includes the risk of theft. In response, a series of initiatives were undertaken to improve bicycle parking facilities and engage with the community. In 2011, two premises in the old quarter of the city owned by the municipality were adopted for bicycle parking.
In 2013, the municipality plenary approved a citizen’s initiative to create safe bicycle parking and a study was carried out to determine the scale of demand, identify the characteristics of the people willing to use the service, and to specify the pricing conditions, locations and branch of services in which they will use. Results show that two-thirds of regular bike users were willing to use this network of security parking.
Parking facilities were added in strategic locations requested by the community throughout the city that are easily accessible via the cycling network. All network facilities located in public spaces have an automatic door with security systems, smart access control and video recording for bicycles and cargo bikes.
Isabel Garnik Ortiz ends the presentation highlighting the importance of listening to the needs of the community when planning the parking infrastructures in the city.
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