Birmingham City parking problems

Where I park the bike at work is great, it is of road, right next to security and I can see it from my office window but it is only a small space and it is first come first serve. During the winter this wasn’t a problem but now the summer is rolling around there are more bike and the space is getting fuller, it doesn’t help that the guy with a GC125 and another guy on a scoot seem to have no idea how to park (they have been know to take the space of 2+ bikes each by parking at awkward angles). So there is a chance that I will have to use one of the bays in town from time to time which is the opposite of where I park now (on road, no security and I can’t see it).

Non of the bike bays in Birmingham City centre have rails etc to lock the bike to despite one have a poster on a nearby lamp post telling bikers to ‘secure their bike’. I use a chain etc but that doesn’t stop it being lifted away. My question is what would be the most effective way to get the council to put up rail to secure the bike to? Who would be the best person to write to (MP,Police etc)?

Highways Department.

Dunno where you are in Brum but there's a bike bay in Livery Street Car Park, just by Snow Hill station. It's free - from memory it's on the first level and near the pay machine. Might be a bit better than on the street outside?

No bike bays i know of have secure bars to chain to. There's nothing stoping you using a bicycle bay. No one seems to mind and there's plenty of those around.

I used to park in the ones by the back of new st station. Nothing there. Plenty of car parks around with bike bays.
I used the ones in Brindley place car park while i was on a course (not in Brum anymore) and 3 out of the 5 days didnt have to pay. The attendant just told me to squeeze round the barrier for no charge. £2 normally.

Don't feel frightened to move someone's bike if they've parked selfishly - I don't mean out of the bay ( ) but just so you can get yours in. The good think about 125s and scooters is that even if they're padlocked etc they don't weigh too much and are reasonably easy to move.


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Creative use of street furniture: Once when I had to leave my bike on the road overnight, I bumped it onto the kerb and chained it to a cathedral's (Landaff) sign. The next morning (Sunday) when I was picking it up, I got some disapproving looks from people on their way to church.

Originally Posted by mysteryjimbo

No bike bays i know of have secure bars to chain to. There's nothing stoping you using a bicycle bay. No one seems to mind and there's plenty of those around.

I used to park in the ones by the back of new st station. Nothing there. Plenty of car parks around with bike bays.
I used the ones in Brindley place car park while i was on a course (not in Brum anymore) and 3 out of the 5 days didnt have to pay. The attendant just told me to squeeze round the barrier for no charge. £2 normally.

The one at the back of new street is the one I mainly use, I used some push bike poles just up from there and when I got back there was a traffic warden looking over my bike, he said it was in the way!? I was just used to when I lived in Leeds most of the bays had rails.

Originally Posted by Ceri JC

The next morning (Sunday) when I was picking it up, I got some disapproving looks from people on their way to church.

But they all love giving those looks to anyone and anything that isn't also going to church on Sunday morning... they're just jealous cos they'd rather be going out for a blast than being stuck in church - suckers!