Dutch experts to find high-capacity bike parking solution for two Dublin area train stations

Dutch bicycle parking experts are exploring solutions for high-capacity bike parking at two Irish Rail stations in the Greater Dublin Area.

The project, which is still in its early stages, includes Dublin Heuston and Bray’s Daly train station.

The project involves Irish Rail, CIE which is Irish Rail’s parent company and the landowner of stations, and the National Transport Authority, which oversees the planning of both public transport and active travel infrastructure.

In a post on LinkedIn, Catalien Peerdeman, founder and advisor Bikenine, a consultancy firm, said: “Cycling gives freedom, something I already felt as a child, and which I now help realise for several cities and regions.”

“Last month, I was able to share that passion with Dublin! In the coming period, I will investigate the bicycle parking options at the two large train stations in the Dublin [area],” she said in a Dutch-language post, which is translated here.

Peerdeman added: “Ireland is investing heavily in cycling infrastructure, but how do you ensure that cycling and train travel seamlessly connect? How do you make optimal use of the scarce space around stations? We were able to advise on this, with our acquired cycling knowledge. A challenge and an honour! It’s great that by investing in bicycle parking, we can also make public transport more attractive.”

Bikenine is based in Utrecht in the Netherlands, where high-volume bicycle parking at train stations is the norm and the bicycle-train combination is seen as a key way to extend the reach of the railway system.

As IrishCycle.com has previously covered, the Dutch are world leaders in train-bike integration, with around 40% of train passengers arriving at stations by bicycle.

But to the surprise of many people internationally, bicycles are banned on peak trains in the Netherlands. This is the case in most countries around the world, with few exceptions, typically where the number of trains exceeds passenger demand. In most cities, the space on trains is seen as the most valuable space, and the demand does not allow for carrying bicycles at peak times without unduly affecting passenger comfort and safety..

Instead, the Dutch system is based on bicycle parking at stations and a public transport-focused bicycle share scheme. Commuters often have two bicycles for each end of their trip, or, at one end, use OV-Fiets, the Dutch railway’s bicycle share system, which is designed for daily use rather than a quick turnaround, which is the norm for on-street bicycle share.