RAILWAY stations across Dacorum are to get their share of £30 million of investment to encourage more people to get on their bikes and cycle to the station.
Thousands of bike spaces are being upgraded or introduced to create more and better protected places for cyclists to secure their rides as part of a Department for Transport initiative.
The works planned for Dacorum stations are just a few of a large number of projects spread across England, which focus on areas that will enhance existing transport links.
Bikes will be secure on arrival with new cycle racks, the use of CCTV and additional lighting
The number of cycle spaces will be vastly increased and in some cases doubled. It is hoped the revamp will encourage more people to travel via bicycle and get active.
In Hemel Hempstead the number of cycle parking spaces will double to 72.
Until late 2010 the station had no official cycle storage anywhere near the station.
At Kings Langley station an extra 12 spaces will be provided, bringing the total to 76 spaces, and in Tring an extra 12 spaces will bring the total number of spaces up to 119.
Earlier this year London Midland invested in a revamp of the existing storage but it is already full.
More than 3,000 bike spaces at railway stations and miles of new cycle routes have been agreed for the east of England.
Transport minister and Hemel Hempstead MP Mike Penning said: “We’ve had a lot of success nationally with encouraging more people to cycle but in some places we feel that the facilities haven’t kept up with that progress.
“By providing more spaces the hope is to get more people cycling, which can help people get fitter and it’s more environmentally friendly.
“It also means people don’t have to pay to park their cars.
“I really do feel strongly about this, I cycle myself, and hopefully for a lot of people we can open up these opportunities by providing these facilities.”
In total 13 stations managed by London Midland are having their facilities upgraded, although Berkhamsted will not see any improvement as part of this programme.
Recently the Gazette’s Business Eye featured a story on more of the 16,500 workers based in Maylands business area being encouraged to ditch their cars in favour of other transport.
A big campaign called Maylands On The Move has started in support of Dacorum Borough Council’s travel plan to persuade more people to walk, cycle, take the bus and share their car journey.