Bicycle parking audit report summary

Council is supportive of sustainable transport and identifies cycling as a priority transport mode, especially for short trips, in the Sustainable Transport Policy. 

The provision of bicycle parking is considered a key factor in encouraging cycling as a mode of transport.  In order to determine the adequacy of bicycle parking in Stonnington, thirteen sites including shopping strips and off-street car parks were audited, as shown on the map below.

The findings and recommendations of the audit are contained in the City of Stonnington Bicycle Parking Report (2010) and summarised below.

The audit revealed the following issues:

There is a shortage of bicycle parking in most strip shopping centres:

• The demand for short term parking is highest near cafes, take away food outlets, post offices and convenience stores;
• Unsecured bicycles add to footpath congestion and present a hazard for pedestrians; and
• Inconsistency in the style of bicycle parking reduces quick recognition by cyclists and detracts from the streetscape.

A summary of existing parking in each of the precincts and recommendations for additional parking is provided in the table below.

Section	Location Description	Existing Rails	Recommended No. of new parking sites	No. of new rails	No. of new racks	No. of new bicycle parking spaces
1	Chapel Street Windsor, Prahran and South Yarra	21	59	65	0	65
2	Greville Street	0	7	7	0	7
3	Commercial / Malvern Road	7	6	10	0	10
4	Toorak Road, South Yarra	11	14	16	0	16
5	Toorak Village	3	4	5	0	5
6	Hawksburn Village	3	5	6	0	6
7	Glenferrie Road, Malvern	6	21	27	0	27
8	High Street Armadale and Prahran	6	34	34	0	34
9	Malvern Village	0	11	11	0	11
10	Car park Elizabeth Street	0	4	3	2	11
11	Car park  MacFarlan Street	0	1	0	8	32
12	Car park Little Chapel Street	0	1	4	0	4
13	Chapel Off Chapel	0	1	3	0	3
Total		57	168	191	10	231

The key recommendations of the Bicycle Parking Report are to:

• Install “Bicycle Parking” signage along main thoroughfares to aid quick recognition of bicycle parking facilities and to reduce illegal parking;
• Discourage the use of Walksafe fencing as bicycle parking to reduce footpath congestion (except outside Prahran Market in Commercial Road, where space exists to install hitching rails);
• Consider creating bicycle parking islands in busy shopping precincts with limited footpath space.  This would involve converting 2-3 kerbside parking bays into a bicycle island to accommodate 16-24 bicycles); and
• Adopt a standard for bicycle parking to enhance cyclist recognition and streetscape aesthetics.  This would involve developing a suite of parking options - post rails, hoops and racks – to take into consideration the availability of footpath space within the precinct.

Bicycle Parking Styles

The following styles of parking are recommended.  The style recommended at each site is dependent upon the availability of footpath space.

Pole vault/rail

Attaches to existing street post and accommodates a single bike

Hitching rail

Accommodates a single bike when installed parallel to the road or two bikes where space permits

Rack

Accommodates 4 or more bikes where space exists

Precinct Overview

View Larger Map

Chapel Street

Chapel Street was audited in sub sections (major blocks) recognising the diversity of the strip from Dandenong Road to Alexandra Avenue.

Dandenong Road to High Street

The section between Dandenong Road and High Street was one of the areas with the highest number of badly parked bikes.  There are currently five bicycle parks in this section and a recommendation for a further 16 to cater for parking near Windsor Station, cafes, take away food outlets and convenience stores.

High Street to Malvern Road

The area between High Street and Malvern Road was the busiest section surveyed with a variety of retail outlets including take away food, restaurants, a supermarket, pharmacy, discount shops and fashion retailers.  It also had a high number of badly parked bikes blocking the footpath and causing a potential trip hazard.  Despite having the highest number of existing bicycle facilities (10) in the Chapel Street strip, fails to meet the demand.  An additional 14 bicycle parks are recommended for this section.

Malvern Road to Toorak Road

There is a gradual reduction in the number of food outlets in the northern end of the block between Malvern Road and Toorak Road and fewer shoppers.  The Jam Factory, however, is a high activity area where the installation of bicycle parking could relieve pressure on existing bicycle facilities and encourage more shoppers to cycle to the area.  The report recommends an additional 14 bicycle parking spaces in this section.  As the area has reduced space on the footpath due primarily to outdoor dining, rails or post rails rather than racks are recommended.  Post rails can be attached to existing street posts (e.g. parking signage) where hitching rails are installed into the footpath.

Toorak Road to Alexandra Avenue

There are currently no bicycle parking facilities in the block between Toorak Road and Alexandra Avenue.  The business activity is primarily concentrated in the Toorak Road end of the block.  Suggested locations for bicycle parking are the Como Centre, Como Hotel, Freedom Furniture, Olsen Hotel, the Convenience Store and apartment block at Alexandra Avenue.

Greville Street

Greville Street was identified as another area where bicycles were parked badly and the high number of cafes, fashion and giftware outlets support the need for bicycle parking.  At the time of the study there were no bicycle facilities in the strip, however two post rails were installed as a Bicycle Victoria trial in February 2010, one outside the Town Hall entrance and the second in front of the Library entrance.  The recommendation is to install an additional five bicycle parks near the cafes where there is a high turnover of patrons.

Commercial and Malvern Roads

There is no business activity at the Punt Road end of Commercial Road however the level of activity increases as it nears Chapel Street, with the Prahran Market entrance being the busiest section of the street.  There are more bike rails in the two hundred metres before Chapel Street, than any other strip of a similar length and they are highly utilised.  However despite this, bikes are still parked unsafely, especially near the Prahran Market.  An additional 10 hitching rails are recommended in this strip between Eckersleys and Home Concept and Chapel Street.

Toorak Road - Punt Road to Chapel Street

The section between Punt Road and Chapel Street has stainless steel hoop rails, each able to accommodate two bicycles.  The area outside the South Yarra Station is a high demand area for bicycle parking but with very limited space for street side rails.  Streetscape redesign is recommended to provide space for 15-20 bicycle parks for commuters, alternatively rails could be installed against or mounted on the Walksafe fencing outside the station.

Due to the high level of activity in this strip it is recommended that the existing facilities be supplemented at key locations including outside Bancrofts Dry Cleaning on the corner of Caroline Street, the IGA supermarket, Brumby’s Bakery, South Yarra Pharmacy and South Yarra Square.

Chapel Street to Williams Road

The area beyond Chapel Street has fewer food outlets and cafes, is less busy and appears to have less cycling activity and demand for facilities.  New facilities are recommended in the section between Chapel Street and the Toorak/South Yarra Library, near Subway, Little India Bistro and Escape Travel.  No facilities are required further up Toorak Road towards Williams Road.

Toorak Village

Toorak Village had the least observed cycling activity of any of the precincts despite it being a busy centre.  Some bicycle parking was observed adjacent to the Jackson Street car park with cyclists using street poles to secure bikes, without causing a hazard for pedestrians.  However in order to encourage locals to cycle to the centre additional bicycle parking is recommended at key sites including the west corner of the Jackson Street car park (supplementing the two in the eastern corner) and in Toorak Road at Haighs Chocolates and The Novel Idea bookshop.  The Toorak Road sites are spaced evenly to provide facilities for visitors to all the traders and businesses.  Kerbside rails or post rails are recommended due to the restricted footpath space.

Hawksburn Village

Despite bike facilities being available in the street cyclists often opted to use walksafe fencing, demonstrating that cyclists will often choose to park their bikes as close as possible to their destination rather than using facilities 50m away.  The level of activity in the strip justifies additional parking and five locations on Malvern Road either side of the Williams Road intersection.  The suggested locations are outside or close to food outlets (where space permits) as well as the supermarket and hotel.

Glenferrie Road

Glenferrie Road precinct extends from High Street to just before Dandenong Road provides a mix of food, restaurant, general retail and commercial business.  The accessibility of the centre attracts cycling activity however there are only six bicycle parking facilities which has resulted in bicycles being parked against street furniture, café barriers and poles.

The consultants recommend the installation of a significant number of additional bicycle parks (21 sites to cater for 27 bicycles).

High Street - High Street Prahran

Although this precinct is quieter than Chapel Street, activity is still medium to high.  There are only four bicycle parks in this section resulting in bikes being secured to street furniture, poles and fencing.  The report recommends an additional 14 rails be installed in well patronised sites including ET’s Hotel, Prahran Fish and Chips, Melbourne Bicycle Centre, Com Game Computers, Centrelink and Wise Employment office.

High Street Armadale

In general there is not high levels of cycling activity in the Armadale section of High Street, although there was some evidence at general retail outlets (post office, pharmacy and supermarket) where bikes were generally secured to poles and street furniture. There are only two bicycle facilities at present, an additional 20 are proposed, to be located near general services such as the post office, Thomas Dux Grocers, Blockbuster Video, Nick’s Wines and near food outlets and cafes.

Malvern Village

Eleven bicycle facilities are recommended for this strip which currently has no bicycle facilities.  These are proposed to be located near the newsagent, bakery, pharmacy, Cycle Inn and food outlets.  Due to high demand for footpath space near cafes the additional bicycle facilities are recommended to be installed out the front of neighbouring stores including Salon Sublime, Allmarker, Albany Antiques and Ladsons Restorations.

Elizabeth Street Car Park

The Elizabeth Street car park services the Prahran Market and surrounding businesses.  There are no bicycle facilities within the car park and only a couple in Elizabeth Street itself. 

The consultants recommend creating bicycle parking within the car park to take the pressure off kerbside bicycle parking.  Areas on the ground floor near the north eastern entry and under cover at the pedestrian exit to the car park have been identified as potential areas for the creation of bicycle parking.  These locations are open and in full view of all car park users as they enter and exit.  A total of 11 bicycles could be catered for in the short term however there is an opportunity to create a walled compound on the ground level that could create secure parking for 40-50 bicycles in the long term.

MacFarlan Street Car Park

The MacFarlan Street car park provides long term parking for local residents and businesses in the area.  There are two ‘small car’ parking spaces near the exit that could be used to locate eight bicycle racks creating parking for 32 bicycles.  Alternatively the space can be easily fenced off to create a secure bicycle storage cage.  The consultants suggest that these spaces could potentially be rented to local residents and employees of surrounding businesses.

Little Chapel Street Car Park

The Little Chapel Street car park services employees of surrounding businesses plus overflow customer parking.  There is very little opportunity to create secure bicycle parking without sacrificing car spaces or removing signage or street furniture.

The consultants have identified the corner behind Kathmandu as a site for two rails and two rails in King Street to create parking for four bicycles.

There is a potential to convert existing car spaces into a secure bicycle compound for 20 or more bikes that could be rented to long term users.

Chapel Off Chapel 

This area currently has no bicycle parking facilities and as a result bicycles are secured to signs and street furniture.  The consultants have recommended the installation of three rails to hold six bikes near the front entrance.