Fact sheet Park+Bike

P+Bike has several advantages over Park+Ride. Bikes and loan bikes are easier, cheaper and faster to implement via a P+Bike site than a new public transport route. For users, a bicycle is also more flexible than public transport.

Even if there is a public transport connection, but it is not frequent enough, cycling is a more attractive solution for travellers. A P+Bike site can therefore be a good alternative for medium-sized urban areas where travelling to the centre by car causes a lot of delays and there is no close-knit public transport network. More information about this can be found in the Park+Bike Leeuwarden case study.

The main target group for P+Bike locations is commuters who travel between home and work. However, it can also be a solution for leisure traffic. Examples include visitors to a city centre, hotel visitors and visitors to recreational areas such as the forest or beach.

Different systems are available for a P+Bike site.

1. A closed system, where each user has a permanent bicycle. Other user groups cannot use that bicycle.
2. A half-open system, which requires users to register. Registration gives them access to the use of a bicycle, usually by means of a pass or login code.
3. An open system is accessible to a wide section of the public. Bicycles are accessible via a subscription or payment via a bank card. More information about this can be found in the fact sheet for bike sharing systems.

Accessibility effects

P+Bike sites have been provided at a number of locations, such as Leeuwarden, Den Bosch, Maastricht and Groningen. However, little is known about the accessibility effects of the facilities offered at these sites.

In Leeuwarden there are approximately 60 regular users of the 80 bicycle lockers. Assuming that these 60 users use the bicycle locker an average of three times a week, usually during peak hours, and that in 80% of cases they would otherwise have travelled the same route by car, this results in approximately 0.7 cars avoiding rush-hour journeys per user per day. In other words, approximately 40-50 rush-hour journeys avoided on an average day.

Sustainability effects

If more people leave their cars on the outskirts of the city and use bicycles to reach the city centre, there will be less car traffic in the city and the number of traffic jams will be reduced. This means that there will also be lower emissions of CO₂, NO_x and particulate matter. Based on the avoidance of
5 kilometres of driving per (partial) rush-hour avoidance, this saves the following emissions:

Variables with an impact on effects

Several variables may influence the effects mentioned:

• An important condition for a successful P+Bike site is that users arrive at their destination faster and/or cheaper. The parking tariff of the P+Bike site must not be too high. The P+Bike site must also be easy to reach with as few diversions and traffic jams in front of the entrance as possible.
• Also, the distance to the city centre should not be too great. Users like to cycle for a short time, but this should not take more than 10 to 20 minutes. A maximum travel distance of 2.5 to 5 kilometres applies.
• P+Bike sites are often located on the outskirts of the city in quiet areas. Therefore safety plays an important role. The bicycle shelters must be large enough and adequately lit. In some places restricted access will be necessary.
• Furthermore, the parking policy must be in line with the facilities offered at the P+Bike site. For example, it will help if the parking tariff in the city centre is higher than at the P+Bike site. In general, a stricter urban parking policy increases the chance of successful operation. The financial contribution from the municipality may then be smaller.
• Finally, a P+Bike site benefits from exposure and marketing. A municipality could support this by issuing permits for P+Bike locations (more easily) and supporting marketing activities.

Costs (including VAT)

The costs of constructing and maintaining a P+Bike site depend on the project. For the authorities, this often comes down to a great deal of regulatory work, such as issuing permits. In Leeuwarden, the costs for a parking space and a bicycle locker are about €1100. Companies pay €400 per year for the rental of a parking space and bicycle locker. The remaining costs are paid by the municipality. After four years, the locker, including the bicycle and maintenance costs, is cost-neutral.

Furthermore, the costs depend on the design of the P+Bike site. For example, the type of system has an impact on costs. A shared bike system is more expensive in terms of purchasing equipment than encouraging the use of people’s own bikes. The costs also depend on the potential for large numbers of users. In the case of large numbers of users, it will be easier for operators to establish a profitable business model, thus reducing the need for subsidies.

Furthermore, the possible revision and implementation of the parking policy will influence the lead time and costs of the project. Finally, the amount and quality of marketing involved for the use of P+Bike site will impact the costs.

Mobility hubs
Over the past few years ‘mobility hubs’ have been on the rise. These days, towns and cities more often have a policy of restricting cars to the outskirts, and encouraging cycling and walking in town and city centres. So mobility hubs, essentially places for changing the mode of transport, are generally seen on the edges of towns and cities where it is possible to change to using the main road network or rail network. But hubs may also be in the city or, indeed, some distance from an urban centre.
Hubs are multi-modal and facilitate all sorts of transport in one place. So not just the combinations of parking and cycling (P+Bike) or parking and public transport (P+R). And they are often mentioned in combination with Mobility as a Service. The point of hubs is the focus on the location, not just in terms of functionality, but also in terms of attractiveness on many levels. Mobility hubs are still in their infancy and, at present, are being studied and developed in various places throughout the country.

More information

See http://www.verkeerskunde.nl/parkeerenfiets

Sources consulted

1. CROW fietsberaad (2016) P+fiets snel en slim in de stad. Een leidraad voor gemeenten en potentiële exploitanten van P+Fiets
2. Kok, de F. & Voerknecht (2014). P+Fiets: Snel en fris de stad in (VK 3/2014)
3. Vrugt, van de A. & Bos, I. (2006) Park and Bike: een nieuw concept voor congestiegevoelige gebieden?