A campaign to get adequate cycle parking, carriage of a bike on the same Eurostar and safe and convenient access by cycle to the Station.
This campaign was launched by a demonstration at St Pancras International on 14th November 2007. For background of the campaign, see
Background to the campaign.
News item on even of demo.
News item reporting demo.
Cycle Parking
Just in time for the demo, parking for 100 bikes was installed in the Car Park at St Pancras International. A few are below the ramp, but many more are upstairs. There has been confusion as to where cyclists are meant to enter the car park, which has not been helped by the lack of signage. The existing barrier will remain with the understanding that cyclists will dismount before walking the short distance (a matter of metres) to the cycle parking on the left hand side. If it is found that this is abused, further action may be taken.
CCC and three Camden officers met with the St Pancras station master in Nov 2008. He refused to contemplate cycle parking in the central island area outside the Midland Road entrance. The area outside the German Gym is unavailable for other reasons. He will not allow cycle parking inside the bollards by the Pancras road entrance. He agreed to some signage inside the station (to be scheduled by Camden officers) and Camden council agreed to design some for outside.
Camden Council produced a schedule of signage to bike parking (Jan 2009), but still have not installed it (January 2010).
In January 2009, we heard that the station master has requested that the landlord for the car park moves the disabled spaces upstairs and replaces them with cycle stands by 31st March (which hasn’t been done), January 2010.
Early 2012, meetings with Ed Dawson HS1 involving Camden officers and Cllr Robinson. Plans to replace downstairs parking with secure unit (to be paid for). Promise to alter gate so that cycles can enetr Car Park the same way as cars. Year later, charge removed because few people used the secure parking. Camden officers (Craig and Kevin) negotiated with HS1 but no change (2015). We have refused to have signage in street until there is an official way in,
Cycle Parking outside the station
This was not mentioned as an objective for the demo, but Camden Council wishes to install parking outside German Gym and in Midland Road. Negotiations with new station manager November 2008 failed to achieve this. However, camden Council have installed stands in Midland Road opposite the station entrance.
Eurostar and Cycle Carriage
Since 7th April 2008, it has been possible to take Bikes on Eurostar with you Unfortunately, you can’t do a single integrated booking with Eurostar and Euro Dispatch (who load the bikes on the trains), but,to reserve your bike on a Eurostar service choose the train time(s) which would be suitable for your journey and then phone Eurostar Dispatch to check on available space. When you’ve identified a particular train with free space, book your ticket and then call back with your reference number to make the reservation. See See Eurostar Bicycles page.
After a meeting with two Eurostar managers, they agreed to put a link to a map showing how to cycle to the station. So we designed a spider map with help of members Our Version. Following that, the Eurostar web managers produced their own version but eventually they removed it from their website!
Safety Audit
February 2000, Camden Council commissioned a cycle safety audit on the roads around the station:
News item describing safety audit site visit (Feb 2008).
The Safety Audit was published in April 2008. The main safety recommendations have now been carried out.
Pancras Road- underpass alterations to cycle lanes completed May-June 2009.
Pancras Road- Midland Road junction layout changes completed May-June 2009.
Camley Street ASL. resurfacing 5m ASL with a nearside lead-in gate October 2008.
Pancras Road south of German Gym – centre line has been moved east a little but there is still a pinch point on approach to Euston Road
Pancras Road north of German Gym – centre line has been moved as far as 30 metres south of Goodsway junction. The space at the pinchpoint by the junction has also been widened.
Meeting to discuss safety in Pancras Road (7 August 2008)
Bollard in Cycle Gap opposite Argyle Street. Removed June 2008.
Flying motorcycle and signs on Camley Street remove the “except taxis” sign and replace with “except taxis and cyclists”. Sign reverted to original, October 2008.This is technically correct.
- No left turn and no right turn in underpass and in Goodsway*: remove the “except taxis” sign and replace with “except taxis and cyclists”. Sign reverted to original, October 2008. Camden now has funding for blue advisory plates which should appear soon and the “no left turn” and “no right turn” signs taken down (they are illegal because the flying motorcycle covers the rule, so they never will get approval). But the blue plates haven’t yet appeared (Jan 2010)
Link between St Pancras and the SSL
There has always been a rough and ready way to cycle between SSL and the stations, but we made a
Specification of requirements for missing link
at the time of the demo and Camden Council has already implemented most of it.
They had designed the scheme for the link by March 2009.
News item about missing link to SSL (Mar 2008).
Progress
1) Directional signage in both directions between Pancras Road and Regent Square. Completed April 2008.
2) Provide two-way cycling on the west side of Regent Square and in the short section of Argyle Street between Belgrove Street and Whidborne Street, for example, as a “false” one-way street. Not yet (Jan 20101, but cycle hire complementary funding is available).
3) Indicate that cyclists can cycle southbound through Whidborne Street. Completed April 2008.
4) Remove the bollard in the Argyle Street cycle gap. Carried out June 2008.
5) Improve the surfaces at the entry to the Regent Square – Harrison Street cycle gap. Surfaces and relining all complete Summer 2008.
6) Replace the anti-vehicle surfacing at the junction of Cromer and Harrison Street with normal paving and changing the “no entry” to a “no motor vehicles” sign. Complete Summer 2008.
