City developers have praised the Mayor of London's plans to decrease the mandated bike rack space in new office developments. The London Property Alliance (LPA), representing numerous developers in the City and central London, supports these proposals, arguing that the rise of e-bikes makes current requirements excessive.
The LPA's research across 21 buildings in the City, Canary Wharf, and central London indicated that over three quarters (76 per cent) of existing cycle parking spaces were unused during peak times. This figure could have been as high as 84 per cent if these buildings met the latest 2021 London Plan requirements, which mandate one long-stay bike space for every 75 sqm of office space.
Developers argue that the surge in popularity of e-bike providers like Lime and Forest is a key reason why fewer workers are bringing their own bikes to the office. Simon Swietochowski, vice chair of the City Property Association, stated that a policy intended to support sustainable travel before the advent of hire-bikes and dockless e-bikes has led to significant unused storage space.
The current London Plan assumes 19 per cent of employees cycle to work. A new draft London Plan, proposed by Mayor Sadiq Khan, lowers this figure to 10 per cent. While this remains above the 6.5 per cent observed by the LPA, developers view it as a positive step.