Aldi tops cycle parking league table

Thanks to all TACC supporters who did the supermarket cycle parking survey providing data for 11 supermarkets. The new Aldi at Bathpool just edged it on the scoring. They have provided easy to use ‘Sheffield’ type racks, properly spaced, close to the entrance. Well done to Aldi.

Aldi supermarket tops the league in cycle parking facilities
Aldi Bathpool

The survey showed that some very basic errors are being made. Lidl at Castle Street has put its racks too close to the wall, there is a kerb to go up, it is some distance from the store entrance and you have to mix it in the car park.

Tesco have provided oddly shaped racks which are more difficult to secure a bike, and they are too close to a wall.

Lidl, Castle Street, has racks too close to the wall
Lidl, Castle Street

Parking a bike at Tesco Castle Street causes difficulties with securing the bicycle
Tesco, Castle Street

Worst of all, Lidl in Halcon and Tesco Express on Priorswood Road offer absolutely no cycle parking. Taunton Deane Borough Council are supposed to be ensuring that 1 cycle parking space is provided for every 80m2 of retail space, which in the case of some recent supermarkets has not been achieved. We need to ask the question – what is going wrong?
The full league table shows the results.

Cycle parking facilities near supermarkets (2018, n=11)
Supermarket Points scored Comments
Aldi Bathpool 20 This is a new store so it may get busier.
As the newest supermarket in town seems to have done a good job.
Morrisons Riverside/Firepool 19 More capacity needed here. It would also be good to have an official cycle access point at the northern end of the car park. There is a slope and footway access that I use.
Waitrose Wellington 17 They occasionally get blocked by trolleys.
Tesco Castle St 17 It’s poorly positioned with trolley racks and no passing space for wheelchairs.
This store has two bike parking areas. The one to the right of the main entrance has no easy access or egress other than on foot. The racks Tesco uses are a poor design. Their trolley racks are much better quality!
Cycle racks crowded and inadequate jammed in near a trolley park.
Sainsbury Hankridge 15
Sainsbury Town Centre 14 Numbers of cycle racks insufficient.
Asda near Toneway 14 There’s a sign near the racks indicating cycle parking.
Co-op Welllngton Road 12
Lidl Castle St 7 There is a large step up to the cycle parking requiring dismount to access.  A cyclepath runs past this store, yet a separate cycle access has not been provided from this lane, only a pedestrian access.  The railings by the main entrance are a better facility than the racks provided which are too close to the wall.
Lidl Halcon 0 No cycle parking. It has space to provide decent bike facilities but there is nothing present for cyclists, other than the trolley barriers, which will damage bikes.
This is a fairly recent store. It appears that TDBC didn’t check that their own standards had been met.
Tesco Express Priorswood Road 0 No cycle parking. Rack is turned on its side and not secured, and thus not safe.
Data were collected in December 2017 and January 2018. Scores are based on features like capacity, type of rack, space between racks and wall, availability of cover, distance to store and ease of access. A maximum of 21 points could be scored.

 

6 comments on Aldi tops cycle parking league table

  1. Does the Tesco Express on Priorswood road not have bike parking to the side of the shop?

  2. Somerset County Council as the highway authority should be making sure that the cycle parking standards are complied with.

  3. Arguably, as planning authority, TDBC have a role too. The cycle parking would generally not be on the highway.

  4. It must be nice to be running a supermarket that’s SO successful that you can do without tens (or more) thousands of £££ a year – and let that custom go to your rivals – that would be spent by cycling shoppers if only they could park their bikes safely and securely !!!

    I do a lot of shopping by bike and only go where I can park sensibly, I just don’t shop by bike where I can’t. The Aldi store is reasonably near and they’ve had over £400 of custom from me alone on the back of decent bike parking, since they opened.

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