Bicycle lockers removed from car parks

Builderfromhell

I cycle to the city centre regulatly, lock my bike in secure lockers in city centre car park where i can also store my gloves, jacket, waterproof pants etc. These srcure lockers have been removed from Thomas st., car park and are being removed from Howleys Quay car park. You can see from the photo that parking a bicycle in a car park is a popular option and I believe the loss of these lockers is unfortunate

panda100

Have they actually been removed? When did that happen?

Builderfromhell

panda100 wrote: »

Have they actually been removed? When did that happen?

Removed from Thomas st car park, locks removedvawaitingnlockers removal from Howleys Quay car park

Poxyshamrock

That’s a bit counteractive. One of the few good things Limerick Smarter Travel managed to do.

sioda

Smarter travel initiative has finished thus funding gone as well I'd say

Cookiemunster

More than likely the car park operators reckon they can make more money putting cars in those spaces rather than bikes. Especially if that smarter travel money is gone.

Mc Love

Why would they get rid of them in Howleys Quay - the place they are in is perfect.

Mrs OBumble

How much was the charge each time you used them?

martyc5674

Poxyshamrock wrote: »

That’s a bit counteractive. One of the few good things Limerick Smarter Travel managed to do.

Agreed!.. are they going to pull up the bike stands around town now aswell!?

osarusan

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

How much was the charge each time you used them?

Nothing. Just a €1 deposit that is returned when taking the bike out of the locker.

daedal

They were removed because knackers found a way to break into them. Plus they were a heap o shíte, my mountain bike wouldn’t fit into one. Handlebar was wider than the width of the locker.

panda100

daedal wrote:

They were removed because knackers found a way to break into them.

I know we like to blame a lot of things on anti social behaviour in Limerick but this is not true. They were removed because funding was pulled. Removing them really does fly in the face of local and national policy. Is there any secure bicycle parking in the city centre now??

daedal

panda100 wrote: »

I know we like to blame a lot of things on anti social behaviour in Limerick but this is not true. They were removed because funding was pulled. Removing them really does fly in the face of local and national policy. Is there any secure bicycle parking in the city centre now??

So your man who works in Thomas street car park was lying to me?

Funding was pulled? How much does it cost to run 30 self service metal boxes a year.

More than likely it was because they aren’t secure enough and the car parks didn’t want to be held liable for stolen property.

Cookiemunster

daedal wrote: »

So your man who works in Thomas street car park was lying to me?

Funding was pulled? How much does it cost to run 30 self service metal boxes a year.

More than likely it was because they aren’t secure enough and the car parks didn’t want to be held liable for stolen property.

Or they can fit 3 cars in the space, each paying €2 an hour for the privilege, rather than get nothing.

daedal

Cookiemunster wrote: »

Or they can fit 3 cars in the space, each paying €2 an hour for the privilege, rather than get nothing.

Nonsense.

They aren’t removing the fixtures that you lock your bike to, just the lockers, which means there won’t be any new space for cars to park. Just less bicycle amenities in the same space.

City center car parks are rarely at maximum occupancy. So an extra 3 spaces aren’t going to bring in mega bucks.

Mrs OBumble

So you expect commercial car park operators to store your bike and associated stuff for free, out of the goodness of their hearts? Or the government to pay for the storage of your property?

Get the local cyclists organisation to approach the car-park operator to negotiate a commercial rate for your parking needs.

daedal

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

So you expect commercial car park operators to store your bike and associated stuff for free, out of the goodness of their hearts? Or the government to pay for the storage of your property?

Get the local cyclists organisation to approach the car-park operator to negotiate a commercial rate for your parking needs.

You’re missing the point, removing the lockers won’t add more car spaces. In fact, you’re missing the reason why smarter travel was set up. Cyclists don’t particularly need the car park facilities if they have invested in a decent lock, but it’s nice to have, it encourages more people to cycle to work instead of taking the car, if cyclists had to pay to use the carpark there is no incentive to cycle so they won’t.

Builderfromhell

Smarter travel replied to my message and confirmed that their vontract with car park in Thomas st., is up and owners don't want to renew. They said they are looking for an alternative location. I suggested railway station as many bikes are parked their outside and could easily be parked inside.
Hope somewhere is found soon as i wear a lot of raingear, bag, gloves, helmet whuch I could lock in lockers

martyc5674

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Or the government to pay for the storage of your property

A small price to reduce the number of cars in the city... it’s an incentive for people to change.

martyc5674

Builderfromhell wrote: »

Smarter travel replied to my message and confirmed that their vontract with car park in Thomas st., is up and owners don't want to renew. They said they are looking for an alternative location. I suggested railway station as many bikes are parked their outside and could easily be parked inside.
Hope somewhere is found soon as i wear a lot of raingear, bag, gloves, helmet whuch I could lock in lockers

I’d prefer to see it actually in the city centre, and somehow more visible than where it was.

I’d like to hear the car parks reasons for not wanting to renew if that’s the case... fair point made earlier that the spaces are hardly worth a fortune.

Builderfromhell

I dont know why the car park owners didn't extend the contract but the people working thete told me there had been many bike robberies from lockers. They told me this when i was looking for a euro change and suggested i lock bike even in locker. I still felt my expensive bike was safer locked in a locker in a supervised car park

topper75

Any auld codgers like myself remember paying 20p to lock bikes in Bedford Row Garage (now Dunnes)?
You locked them to a pipe on the wall, and the coin meant that they were at least watched by somebody.

Sorry. I'm probably all nostalgic after reading this in today's Examiner:

https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/artsfilmtv/scenes-from-the-analogue-city--memories-of-limerick-from-the-late-80s-and-early-90s-464475.html

sioda

topper75 wrote: »

Any auld codgers like myself remember paying 20p to lock bikes in Bedford Row Garage (now Dunnes)?
You locked them to a pipe on the wall, and the coin meant that they were at least watched by somebody.

Sorry. I'm probably all nostalgic after reading this in today's Examiner:

https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/artsfilmtv/scenes-from-the-analogue-city--memories-of-limerick-from-the-late-80s-and-early-90s-464475.html

Now howleys quay good ol Noel gentleman. Locked my bike there for years

chicorytip

daedal wrote:

You’re missing the point, removing the lockers won’t add more car spaces. In fact, you’re missing the reason why smarter travel was set up. Cyclists don’t particularly need the car park facilities if they have invested in a decent lock, but it’s nice to have, it encourages more people to cycle to work instead of taking the car, if cyclists had to pay to use the carpark there is no incentive to cycle so they won’t.

The problem is finding suitable on-street structures onto which a bicycle can be locked or chained securely.

Builderfromhell

I hope it's OK to add to this old post.
The Howley's Quay car park bicycle lockers and spaces are no longer there.
I cycled to town today with two panniers on my bicycle which cost over a €1,000 and was sorry to not be bale to park and shopping in the lockers. I can't see how cuclists will be encouraged to cycle to work if there are no secure, dry parking facilities.

Mc Love

There's been no answer forthcoming from the council on it - there was meant to be some other place provided but as of yet nothing, would love an indoor unit that is monitored by security. You pay to bring your bike, include lockers for gear etc, but any of the car parking places in town werent secure.

barrymanilow

In fairness those lockers were awful , I accidentally discovered that the key you get from the deposit let you open up other lockers beside the one you'd taken the key from.

Mc Love

Exactly Barry!

Mango Joe

Builderfromhell wrote: »

I hope it's OK to add to this old post.
The Howley's Quay car park bicycle lockers and spaces are no longer there.
I cycled to town today with two panniers on my bicycle which cost over a €1,000 and was sorry to not be bale to park and shopping in the lockers. I can't see how cuclists will be encouraged to cycle to work if there are no secure, dry parking facilities.

Would you not just ask your Butler to stand watch over your bike as you shop?

Mc Love

Mango Joe wrote: »

Would you not just ask your Butler to stand watch over your bike as you shop?

Do you have a Butler too? You own a car?

Mango Joe

Mc Love wrote: »

Do you have a Butler too? You own a car?

My car cost €1850. Honestly.

Anyway, it was just a humorous observation.

If anyone wants to get upset/defensive/militant that's their own lookout.

OP to be fair thanks for raising this issue - Local Governance in Limerick has always been utterly abysmal and even then it's steadily in decline.