To answer this question, we had to dive deep into the cause of the occurrence of wrecks and faulty parking. We focussed on 2 areas where these problems mostly prevail: 

1/ Nuisance of incorrect and annoying parking near Rotterdam CS.

2/ Nuisance of bicycle wrecks and orphan bicycles in the Rotterdam district Bergpolder. 

At CS and Bergpolder we spoke with visitors, inhabitants, enforcers, pioneers and experts in the field of bicycle mobility. The findings were set out in a journey and further enriched in an online co-creation where we focused on positive prevention in advance instead of enforcement afterwards.

At CS we are committed to preventing wrong-way parking by separating the flow of 1st and 2nd bicycles.

The 2nd bicycle is the bicycle that people use as a commuter, i.e. from CS to work, school or other destination.

Research shows that a second bicycle is parked 4 times longer and takes up 45% of the space. Moreover, they take up the best spaces closest to the rail tracks. As a result the parking facility is quickly filled to capacity. At peak times, inbound and outbound commuters meet, causing further congestion. This (cluttered) congestion then contributes to wrongful parking outside the parking lot. 

We advised the municipality to introduce short- and long-term parking (including a 24-hour parking facility), accompanied by a package of communication and behavioral campaigns to guide cyclists.

For Bergpolder we recommend a phased approach, mainly focused on data and positive preventive measures.

Using data that shows heatmaps with abandoned bikes and  wrecks. 

Subsequently, we suggested a set of  positive measures to prevent people from leaving the bike behind like pro-active bike repair; collecting bikes by a local social enterprise and by returning a bike when buying a new one. 

In addition, we suggested to  reduce bicycle ownership (not usage!), by creating a neighborhood shared bike.

We are working on a new local economy. We develop new concepts and businesses that challenge the old economy. By competing on other values than just financial.

The number and use of bicycles continues to increase in Dutch cities (luckily so). In densely populated areas bike parking becomes an issue. Space can be created by removing wrecks and abandoned bikes. And by reducing faulty parking. But how can you do this without incurring high costs for enforcement? 

Reducing bicycle wrecks and faulty parking

Business Design Agency - Project Bicycle parking in the city. Reducing bicycle wrecks and faulty parking

Project Bicycle parking in the city • Projects

Business Design Agency - Project Bicycle parking in the city

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50% of space in cities is taken up by cars....

...while in the city we face enormous challenges and where solutions compete for scarce space: housing shortage, climate change, energy transition, greening, mobility. 

Many municipalities want to reduce the number of parking spaces, but eliminating parking spaces is not easy:

The procedure is unclear, residents don't know how it works, takes a long time. Support is often obtained through co-creation. These are slow processes and the outcome does not always fit within municipal policy. Residents cannot imagine the new situation. 

Easy to apply for, with a clear procedure and quick to realize.  It is temporary so that residents can experience the new interpretation of the parking space. 

A modular design ensures that solutions remain within the spatial framework of the municipality and people can visualize the outcome. 

The use of the PRKLT is monitored. These data can be used to make a well-founded decision for a permanent solution.

In other words, it is a transition tool as it enables inhabitants to change the use of their streets.

The PRKLT-system has been made open source so more cities and neighbourhoods can use it to change.

On bit.ly/parklt anyone interested can download the design and  gets access to the participation tools created. It comes with a guide for municipalities to apply tactical urbanism and update their planning practices. 

Rotterdam shows it is possible, we can create future-proof human cities, one street at a time. 

Since years Rotterdam is undergoing a rapid transition towards a human and green place to be. How? By adjusting its planning practices to be able to accommodate this change, making use of tactical urbanism.

Years ago some clever planners at the municipality invented the bicycle parklets, to reduce on-street parking and provide more space for cyclists. Over the years it gained a lot of experience with tactical urbanism and parklets in particular. But they usually turned out to be expensive, difficult to manage and therefore impossible to scale up. The city asked local agency for urban change Humankind and Business Design Agency to come up with a solution.  

About our project Parklets as a transition tool. Parklet system helps cities to turn human & green.

Challenge

Approach

Rotterdam Central Station

Bergpolder solutions

A stronger local economy

Bicycle parking in the city