Islington Council is installing its 400th bike hangar as vision for cleaner, greener, healthier borough continues

Islington Council is on a mission to create a cleaner, greener, healthier borough. Encouraging residents to make use of more sustainable modes of transport is key to achieving this, and the borough’s hangars give local people – including expert riders and complete novices – a safe place to store their bikes.   

Each of the lockable hangars provides space for six bikes to be parked at a time, and they take up just half the space of a typical car parking space on the street.    

As well as nearly 400 on-street bike hangars, Islington also has nearly 2,000 bike parking spaces on estates, as well as thousands of bike parking spaces across the borough.    

The installation of bike hangars across the borough compliments the other exciting steps that the council is taking to make it easier for local people to travel in cleaner, greener, healthier ways, including the roll-out of eight people-friendly streets neighbourhoods, 35 School Streets covering 36 schools, and the Holloway Road to Pentonville Road cycleway.    

Cllr Rowena Champion, Islington Council’s Executive Member for Environment and Transport, said: “By encouraging local people to use more sustainable modes of transport, we can help create a more environmentally-friendly borough for all.   

“We all have a role to play in tackling the climate emergency, and something as simple as leaving the car at home and taking more journeys on foot or wheel can make a huge difference. That’s why our bike hangars are so important, as they help make cycling a more convenient option for local people.    

“Cycling is a fantastic way to support efforts to make Islington more environmentally-friendly, and brings a range of mental and physical health benefits. We’re making it easier than ever to ride on two wheels in Islington – so why not get peddling on our people-friendly streets neighbourhoods, our School Streets, or our cycle routes?”   

Local people can reserve a bike parking space via the council’s website. The 400th bike hangar is set to be installed on Monday, 28 March 2022.

The installation of bike hangars across the borough is just one way that the council is encouraging people to take advantage of the mental, physical and environmental benefits of cycling.    

Free Bikeability sessions are put on regularly so that local people of all ages can learn key cycle skills. Islington’s Try Before You Bike scheme also lets residents and local businesses try cycling and pay off the cost of owning a bike over a number of months, or return the bike at no additional cost.