More cycling facilities earmarked at Blackburn train station (From Lancashire Telegraph)

They need to consult with cyclists if they don't want to waste money on this.

In 1999 (I think) the first Local Transport Plan for BwDBC proposed lockers, showers and secure facilities for cycles (I gave my copy away but I'm sure there will be one at the town hall if anyone wants to check that). They'll also find lots of other hare-brained schemes that BwDBC probably received money for but didn't spend on cycling facilities (like the network of cycle routes -Goosehouse Lane was supposed to be the primary route between Darwen and Blackburn (there still aren't any street lights), and there were cycle routes proposed across fields where there isn't even a footpath from Earcroft up and over to Heys Lane.

I've yet to see a bike locked up in the large bike rack behind Blackburn station and the reason for that is because no cyclist in their right mind would lock their bike up there and expect it to still be there, undamaged, when they came back to it. No cyclist designed that or planned the siting of it, and it has been a complete waste of money.

Most cycle planning in this country is done by cretins with crayons.

"City-bound passengers from East Lancs will be able to hire bikes at Bolton and Manchester Victoria stations - and take advantage of new bike repair shops nearby." What sort of bonkers statement is that?
Anyone travelling to Manchester from East Lancs, who arrives at Victoria station planning to hire a bike isn't going to want to know where the cycle repair shops are, FFS! They want to hire bikes that aren't broken!

Cyclists using the rail network in the north are a different breed to those commuting into London. Most cyclists using the trains up here want to take their bikes on the train with them, not leave it locked up in some God-forsaken corner of a railway station so that they can then hire another bike at the other end!

It's no good basing cycle schemes for this country on ones that work in Holland -the Dutch have a COMPLETELY different attitude towards cycling than the British do.

How does providing cycle facilities at railway stations make cycling safer? We cycle on roads, not bloody railway tracks!

£4.7m WASTED.

If they want to make cycling safer, they should spend the £4.7m on filling all the potholes in.

Actually, you aren't very happy at all are you happycyclist?

I use Brierfield station three or four times a month and walk / drive past it frequently. I can't recall I've ever seen a single bike in the expensive bike shelter. As HC says re:Blackburn , cyclists aren't going to chance leaving their bike and coming back later to see what's been damaged or pinched. Waste of money.

did you smash it? wrote:
Actually, you aren't very happy at all are you happycyclist?

Thanks for reading :)

I think 'happy cyclist' is spot on. Blackburn and Darwen are not natural cycling areas because they are too hilly and the valley bottom main roads are extremely cyclist unfriendly. Until there is a vastly better 'off main road' cycle network few will venture out on bikes on a regular basis. The current cvcling facilities at stations aren;t well used and before more are added in a blanket plan there needs to be local consultation.
A very impressive cycle hire/repair centre has opened at Leeds Station and seems quite successful. If only we had the cycling infrastructure that they have in Germany, Holland and Denmark we would see a massive increase in cycling but, as in so many aspects of civilised living, we have fallen way behind our near neighbours in Europe - and whose fault is that?

l get back to Blackburn for 3 or 4 months from the far east each year and l don't see any cyclist round the town for one thing l should think its to danger's for them, what l do see are these little invalid things zipping about, then being parked up, and the occupant walking about shopping, the same applies to the cars with the stickers on them.

Happy cyclist, you are spot on with the money being better spent on the pot holes in the road.

It is a criminal offense in this country to tamper with a parked vehicle but when you report to the Police that someone is tampering with your secured bicycle they won't respond. This includes using the CCTV system across the road to view what is going on. I suppose that if I confronted the person, got stabbed for my troubles, they might attend, eventually.

Have a peek on Wiki for 'Bicycle sharing systems', as seen on the Continent, then have a laugh at the idea of it being introduced in Blackburn.

Car drivers in Blackburn, would sooner obstruct an entrance to a junction than allow a bicycle to cross in front of them.
The current cycle path system in Blackburn is beyond a joke, obviously designed by someone whom has not ridden a bike.

I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiment that the proposed money would be better spent on filling in half the holes in the road.