Residents in Shaftesbury Place and Drara were notified by Brighton and Hove CC in late August of the planned Brighton & Hove Bike Share scheme which is due to launch in May 2017. It is proposed to site a cycle hire docking station on Shaftesbury Place and the council have sought views on this and confirm the final list in ‘autumn’.
The scheme will be similar to public cycle hire schemes operating in other cities for use by residents and visitors, with the docking station or ‘hub’ one of fifty across the city.
At a committee meeting on September 7th Drara discussed the proposal to locate a docking station on the west side of Shaftesbury Place – outside a residential property. We understand that the site chosen would not take up a parking space as there is no parking here currently.
While the committee support the plans for cycle hire, members agreed the proposed site is not fit for purpose for the following reasons:
- It would be adjacent to a very narrow stretch of pavement, and therefore obstruct a busy pedestrian route to the station
- It would be a commercial enterprise within a few metres of a residential property
- The pavement is already obstructed with wheelie bins
As alternatives Drara suggest:
- One of the spaces either side of the steps to the station, while we are aware this is not council property it would not obstruct pedestrians and have lower impact on residents or
- On Ditchling Rise at the corner of Shaftesbury Road, next to the car share parking spot.
– This is already established as a commercial outlet area for the car share club
– Already established as a cycle park area
– There is plenty of room, possibly with a slight reduction of size for the car club spot
– There are no neighbours to disturb
– The area in front of the pub is already demarked as a shared space for cars and pedestrians crossing for the station and pub, so this will be safe to load/unload bikes
These views have been put to the council and a site meeting requested to review the options.
