Islington Council rolls out 100th bike hangar in latest boost to sustainable transport

The award-winning Bikehangars have proved extremely popular ever since the council announced the pilot scheme in 2016, and it plans to install another 300 over the next three years. The covered, lockable units each provide rental space for up to six bicycles and take up just a single car parking space on the street.

The bike hangar scheme is a central part of Islington’s plan to encourage more sustainable and healthy modes of travel, and become a cycle-friendly borough. The units complement the nearly 1,100 covered, secure bicycle parking spaces already available to residents of many Islington council estates, and more than 5,000 bike parking spaces are dotted around the borough for residents and visitors alike to use for free. The 100^th Bikehangar was recently installed in Kelvin Road, Highbury East ward.

Cllr Claudia Webbe, executive member for environment and transport, said: “Cycling is a quick, inexpensive and healthy way to get around. Now, our bike hangar scheme is opening up these health and financial benefits to residents who simply don’t have the space to store a bike at home.

“I’m delighted to see residents’ continued enthusiasm and demand for these safe, secure and affordable units, which are a vital part of our cycling infrastructure. We had already long established secure, covered and lockable cycle parking on our council housing estates, and expanding this to our residential streets has been a huge success.

“We will keep rolling out the bike hangar programme as part of our determination to make Islington the most cycle-friendly borough, so it is easy for more people to make two wheels a part of their everyday lives.”

Some 10 per cent of Islington residents already cycle regularly, many of them choosing to commute to and from work on two wheels.

The council is committed to make cycling safer and easier for everyone, with improvements to existing routes and work under way on planning and implementing new routes across the borough. The council also offers free Cycle Skills sessions for adults and Bikeability classes for children, and free led rides to improve cyclists’ skills and confidence.

Find out more information on bicycle parking and renting a space in a Bikehangar.

Notes to editor

More information on cycling in Islington can be found here.

In addition to the bike hangar programme, Islington’s on-street public cycle stands include 2,725 Sheffield stands, 24 planters and 211 cycle hoops, providing parking for about 5,600 cycles.

On top of this there are 82 secure, covered cycle parking facilities available for council estate residents, providing 1,092 spaces, and a further 393 cycle stands on estates offering 786 spaces for visitors.