Oxford City Council is installing 140 new bicycle spaces across the city centre in partnership with Oxford Direct Services in an effort to support increased cycling in Oxford. The project will see the installation of 70 new Sheffield hoop-shaped cycle racks and is due to be completed by the end of this month.
The project is funded by the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) which is established to finance cycling infrastructure. According to figures by the Department of Transport, 35% of people living in Oxford cycled at least once a week in 2023. This figure was the second highest of any local authority across England.
Oxford’s strong cycling culture means that there is a paucity of secure parking spaces in the city, with cyclists resorting to chaining their bikes to railings, drainpipes and lampposts, which has exacted frustration from some local businesses and members of the community.
Bike thefts in Oxford are a considerable problem, from September 2019 to September 2020, Oxford had the second highest rates of bike theft in the United Kingdom, with just under eight thefts occurring for every 1,000 citizens. The council hopes that the installation of new, secure bike spaces will help abate this problem.
New cycle racks are due to be installed on: Broad Street (5 new cycle racks), Ship Street (6), Queen’s Lane (21) and Leopold Street (7).
In a press release, Councillor Louise Upton, Cabinet Member for Planning at Oxford City Council said: “I am delighted that we are creating 140 new cycle parking spaces. Oxford is a hub for cycling, but with so many people using their bikes every day to come in to the city centre there are often bikes attached to all sorts of inappropriate things like railings and drainpipes. To encourage more people to cycle, with all the health benefits that brings, it is important that we increase the provision of bicycle parking across the city.”
