The need to provide bicycle parking in new urban developments or new buildings

It should be noted that despite the availability of relevant technical conditions (see below), the key problem is again in prioritizing motor transport. The current standards impose the obligation only to provide certain number of car parking spaces in new buildings, there is no instruction regarding parking spaces for bicycles. Sometimes an absurd situation arises that the number of car parking spaces is obliged in housing for socially disadvantaged people who obviously do not own cars. Or so-called alternative housing, where people live who volunteer to give up owning a car, thus do not need a place to park it, and the same problem arises, the architect is obliged to provide parking spaces anyway, according to valid standards. The Bike & Ride and Park & Ride standards are equally absurd: The number of parking spaces is mandatory for cars, in contrast to bicycles, where it is voluntary. The new government Urban and Active Mobility Concept will hopefully resolve those absurdities.

 

And now the description of how the theory is theoretically well-established:

The issue of bicycle parking is rarely included in the new developments and it is not usually required by the designers or the responsible officials. In fact, there is no legislative tool to require it! Neither of the above mentioned legislative regulations (ČSN 736110 Design of Local Roads and ČSN 736056 Road Vehicles Parking Spaces) defines the rules for bicycle parking capacity. Therefore the responsible officials have no chance to require an installation of a suitable bicycle parking facility in newly-built or developed construction projects.

In the Czech Republic there's only one technical standard that takes into account the bicycle parking in the place of permanent residence: According to ČSN 734301 Residential Buildings (ICS 91.040.30 of June 2004, see enclosure) every residential building has to be equipped with a space suitable for storing bicycles, strollers and wheelchairs. However, the Standard does not specify the size of the space, either its capacity or placement; this is the decision and responsibility of the designers.

Fortunately, in 2010 a methodology Accompanying Cycling Infrastructure[1] was prepared that recommends specific bicycle parking facilities with regard to parking time (short-, medium- and long-term parking). The methodology recommends, among other things, the numbers of bicycle parking places, based on European Standards (see Attachment).

Specific parking capacity requirements can be defined in a City Decree, as recommended by TP 179 Designing Communications for Cyclists[2]. In Chapter 9 Bicycle Parking it also determines further specifications for parking type and placement. TP 179 provides technical specifications of the bicycle racks and also the basic spatial requirements for other bicycle facilities such as shelters or parkings.

The Prague Building Regulations that are binding for the Czech capital set a requirement in §34 to install bicycle parking facilities especially in/at public buildings or civic amenities. Although the regulation does not set down any minimum capacity for the number of parking places, it gives the characteristics of the parking infrastructure. The general recommendation to provide buildings with parking places for cyclists is emphasized especially in case of civic amenities which are the most common cyclists' destination. If a designer or a builder decides not to build parking facilities for bicycles, the decision must be duly justified. The form of bicycle parking is given by law as well – it should be accessible for public with the possibility to lock the bicycle to have it safe.


[1] https://www.mdcr.cz/getattachment/Dokumenty/Strategie/Mobilita/Cyklodoprava/Metodika-Cyklisticka-doprovodna-infraatruktura/Metodika_Cyklisticka_doprovodna_infrastruktura.pdf.aspx

[2] https://www.mdcr.cz/Dokumenty/Strategie/Mobilita/Cyklodoprava/TP-179-%E2%80%93-Navrhovani-komunikaci-pro-cyklisty