Council removing cycle racks *grumble*

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Durham's premier den of drink related vice and iniquity, to wit North Road, has recently been
tarted up with new paving stones, resurfaced road and amazing telescopic urinals for revellers
wholly unable to contain themselves. Unfortunately the wretched council have removed and not
replaced the cycle racks that used to be outside the Safeway store there, meaning folk with
bulging panniers (me) have to walk up to the other end of the road and dodge kamikaze buses to get
to the racks behind the bus station.

I noticed the racks being ripped out and wondered if they'd re-appear.

I have never quite understood the racks at the back of the bus station. To get to them does one have
to cycle into the bus station?

Quoted message said:

All this wouldn't annoy quite so much if they hadn't publicised their languishing cycling
policy[1] last month in their newsletter, with great fanfare. Grr...

I have written to the County Council about it. Let's see if they will reply with something
constructive.

Is there a particular person to whom I can address my complaint?

Colin

David Nutter said:

Unfortunately the wretched council have removed and not replaced the cycle racks that used to be
outside the Safeway store [Durham]

Quoted message said:

I have written to the County Council about it. Let's see if they will reply with something
constructive.

I suggest writing to the customer relations manager at Safeway, pointing out how much you spend to
bulge your panniers and how convenient A.N. Other store with better bicycle parking could become,
despite its greater distance etc etc.

On the other hand, you could just start going to Tesco on the entirely reasonable grounds that
Safeway is [censored].

John

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

David Nutter said:

Unfortunately the wretched council have removed and not replaced the cycle racks that used to be
outside the Safeway store [Durham]

Quoted message said:

I have written to the County Council about it. Let's see if they will reply with something
constructive.

I suggest writing to the customer relations manager at Safeway, pointing out how much you spend to
bulge your panniers and how convenient A.N. Other store with better bicycle parking could become,
despite its greater distance etc etc.

On the other hand, you could just start going to Tesco on the entirely reasonable grounds that
Safeway is [censored].

You don't get much choice in central Durham.

Colin

(SabineUK) said:

I suggest writing to the customer relations manager at Safeway, pointing out how much you spend to
bulge your panniers and how convenient A.N. Other store with better bicycle parking could become,

BTDT. Our local Safeway has the crappy wheel-only bike racks. If you lock a bike to the huge steel
corral railings, their johnny-no-stars collecting trollies use it for target practice.

I _did_ get a reply, at least. Apparently people don't use bicycles to go shopping. So we're
insignificant and can be ignored.

Well, he's half right - I no longer cycle to go shopping at Safeways.

In message <[email hidden]>, Andy Dingley
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

(SabineUK) said:

I suggest writing to the customer relations manager at Safeway, pointing out how much you spend to
bulge your panniers and how convenient A.N. Other store with better bicycle parking could become,

BTDT. Our local Safeway has the crappy wheel-only bike racks

I _did_ get a reply, at least. Apparently people don't use bicycles to go shopping.

Very few people do in comparison to using cars

Quoted message said:

So we're insignificant and can be ignored.

From a business POV surely that's correct though, given the many thousands of customers a
supermarket probably has in week, then the few of us that go on bike are insignificant.

Quoted message said:

Well, he's half right - I no longer cycle to go shopping at Safeways.

IME very few people do go shopping with their bikes though -whether there are cycle stands
etc. or not.

The Sainbury's near us (Moor Allerton in North Leeds) was rebuilt a few years ago. They put in a
load (15 maybe more?) of Sheffield stands, at the front of the store - I think they might be covered
by the roof as well.

Rarely do I see other bikes locked up there. Ok this is on the Ring road which is a busy dual
carriageway there. Built there are plenty of houses nearby that have easy access to the store.

I've seen similar at other supermarkets
--
Chris French, Leeds

On Wed, 27 Aug 2003 16:41:32 +0000 (UTC) someone who may be David Nutter <[email hidden]>
wrote this:-

Quoted message said:

I have written to the County Council about it. Let's see if they will reply with something
constructive.

How about writing to a local paper about it?

--
David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E I will always explain revoked
keys, unless the UK government prevents me using the RIP Act 2000.

"chris French" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The Sainbury's near us (Moor Allerton in North Leeds) was rebuilt a few years ago. They put in a
load (15 maybe more?) of Sheffield stands, at the front of the store - I think they might be
covered by the roof as well.

Rarely do I see other bikes locked up there. Ok this is on the Ring road which is a busy dual
carriageway there. Built there are plenty of houses nearby that have easy access to the store.

Tesco near me (Didcot) has cycle racks - and usually quite a few cycles in them - especially
on weekends.

chris French said:

Quoted message said:

I _did_ get a reply, at least. Apparently people don't use bicycles to go shopping.

Very few people do in comparison to using cars

I accept that few people do shop by bike, but that's an argument for not needing large racks, rather
than ignoring them or offering poor quality ones.

I spend all my driving time going shopping. Almost literally. I own a car, and I use it once a week
to go to the supermarket, or to move bulky furniture (which I do fairly often, as I make the stuff).
Anything else I do by bike; commuting, visiting, generally travelling around town. My car mileage is
asbsolutely minimal.

But every few days I want a pint of milk, or a bar of chocolate, while I'm on my way by bike past
the supermarket (and Safeways borders onto
it). I don't go to the shop, because they don't have bike racks. And when I go for the big weekly
shop, then I certainly don't go back to _that_ shop.

For the cost of a bike rack, my convenient local supermarket where I could buy my interchangeable
global brands, has lost my custom to a rival.

Incidentally, local Tesco and Safeways have minimal bike racking, but it's usable.

chris French said:

Quoted message said:

I _did_ get a reply, at least. Apparently people don't use bicycles to go shopping.

Very few people do in comparison to using cars

Quoted message said:

So we're insignificant and can be ignored.

From a business POV surely that's correct though, given the many thousands of customers a
supermarket probably has in week, then the few of us that go on bike are insignificant.

But it's not just about catering to punters, though given supermarket profit margins I can't imagine
that the cost of half a dozen Sheffield racks would take long to make back.

Any business worth its salt these days will have an environmental policy that at least pays
lip-service to sustainability - if they want to be seen to be green, acquiescing in the removal of
bike racks is a step, albeit small, in the wrong direction.

John

Andy Dingley said:

(SabineUK) said:

I suggest writing to the customer relations manager at Safeway, pointing out how much you spend to
bulge your panniers and how convenient A.N. Other store with better bicycle parking could become,

BTDT. Our local Safeway has the crappy wheel-only bike racks.

Our Homebase goes one better. It has crappy wheel-only racks mounted on a wall, at the foot of which
is sloping brick thing, so the wheel rolls back out of the rack.

Tim
--
In space no one can eat ice cream

Tim Hall said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I suggest writing to the customer relations manager at Safeway, pointing out how much you spend
to bulge your panniers and how convenient A.N. Other store with better bicycle parking could
become,

BTDT. Our local Safeway has the crappy wheel-only bike racks.

Our Homebase goes one better. It has crappy wheel-only racks mounted on a wall, at the foot of
which is sloping brick thing, so the wheel rolls back out of the rack.

My local Tesco has lots ands lots of lovely, shiny, stainless steel, Sheffield stands, close to the
door, under cover, the only problem is some muppets keep storing rows of trollies between them!

--
Marc Stickers,decals,membership,cards, T shirts, signs etc for clubs and associations of all types.
jaceeprint.demon.co.ukjaceeprint.demon.co.ukOpen ↗

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Colin Blackburn <[email hidden]> said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I have never quite understood the racks at the back of the bus station. To get to them does one
have to cycle into the bus station?

Yeah, sort of. You go in where the buses go, and then there's about 3ft of farcility on the
pavement to get to the racks. Meaning you have to turn right and slowly bump onto the pavement
right in the path of speeding buses. Alternatively you can go down Atherton St if you are
approaching from the St Margarets end of things.

I walked past the road entrance to the bus station today and noticed the the road is signed as no
entry excepts for buses, ie it excludes bicycles. On the same post there is a blue sign pointing
the way to the cycle parking, seemingly directing cyclist into the road which they are not
allowed to enter.

Talking of facilities, the CC has assured me that cycle racks will be returned.

Also, I noticed the hoarding at the roundabout on the A690 (the one with the Consett turnoff, Castle
Chare?) saying that a new Cycle Bridge was being built. I must admit to being a bit confused about
its intended function at this stage.

Colin