Transport / Bus shelters with bicycle storage would be ‘very welcome’
THE INTRODUCTION of some bus shelters with dedicated bicycle storage would be “very welcome” in Shetland, according to ZetTrans chair Moraig Lyall.
The issue of combining bus journeys with active travel, such as cycling, cropped up during a meeting of the transport partnership on Tuesday.
The message from ZetTrans’ lead officer Michael Craigie was that transport officials are well aware of the issue and that a bus infrastructure grant scheme could be one avenue for potential funding.
ZetTrans member Colin Marsland, who represents NHS Shetland, asked what thought had been given to integrating cycling into the public transport network.
He said some people may only want to cycle for part of their journey.
Craigie said that accommodating bicycles on buses has been a theme for a “number of years”.
ZetTrans has no overall policy on this and people are encouraged to contact bus operators directly.
Craigie said having space for bicycles on buses is a “challenge”.
“At this stage we understand the philosophical bit of the importance of overcoming distance by not just using walking or cycling but also how you incorporate that into public transport,” he said.
Craigie added that the Scottish Government’s bus infrastructure fund could potentially come into play.
This could include supporting bikes being taken on buses, for example, or infrastructure for people to leave their bicycles at bus stops “securely and safely and protected from the environment”.
There are no detailed proposals at this stage but Craigie said thinking is underway on how officers could use the funding stream, and further work could take place over the coming year.
“We’re mindful of the need to connect these things together, to not just think about bikes alone or walking alone as a means of increasing active travel activity in Shetland.”
Lyall said in response that she felt enhanced bus stops with an element of bike shelter in “key locations” in Shetland would be very welcome.
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