1,220 PARKING SPACES … FOR BICYCLES!

April 27, 2007, 2:00 pm

A whopping 1,220 cycle parking spaces are included in the plans for the new Skypark office and industrial development beside Exeter Airport - despite warnings that many are likely to remain empty as workers refuse to leave their cars at home.The business park scheme alongside Exeter Airport is recommended for approval by planners next week, even though estimates of how many employees will walk and cycle to work have been branded unrealistic.

Devon County Council has applied for planning permission for the 140,000 square metre business park, where around 7,500 jobs are expected to be created.

But the authority’s own highways experts have questioned the need for 1,220 cycle parking spaces.

A report due to be considered by East Devon District Council’s development control committee on Tuesday recommends granting outline planning permission for the development.

On the issue of transport to work, however, it reveals that assumptions about how many people will walk or cycle are considered “very optimistic” by the county council’s own highways authority. Whereas the Skypark plans conjure up eco-friendly visions of 10 per cent cycling and three per cent walking, the council’s own transport experts reckon the figures will be just three and one per cent.

And a report from East Devon’s head of planning and countryside services, Kate Little, states that the highways authority has cast doubt on whether so much cycle parking will be required. Meanwhile the Government’s Highways Agency believes that the cycling and walking estimates are unrealistic and unachievable.

Tim Jones, chairman of Devon and Cornwall Business Council, warned that laudable transport objectives must not be allowed to jeopardise Skypark.

He said: “The business community totally supports the long-term objective of being more sustainable and reducing the need to depend on the car, but you can’t do that unless you have viable alternatives.

“I think the lower estimates of cycling and walking to work will be nearer the mark. If this development, which is absolutely crucial to the sub-regional economy, is going to be populated by knowledge transfer companies from across the country, those people will need to travel to other centres of learning and business.

“If we start with a very big shackle around our necks in terms of trying to limit access to the site for ideological goals, we will get what we deserve, which is a development that’s not full and languishes with empty buildings.”

On the number of cycle bays proposed, Martyn Goss, chairman of campaign group Devon Transport 2000, said: “It’s a much higher percentage than you would expect in terms of the number of people cycling. Currently two to four per cent of the working population cycle to work, and the national target is 10 to 12 per cent.

“There needs to be more carrots and sticks than just provision of cycle spaces, but it does mean people don’t have the excuse that there’s nowhere to leave their bike. It won’t be achieved overnight, but with rising oil prices and the need to address climate change, it could be done in the longer term.”

Derek Phillips, chairman of Exeter Chamber of Commerce, said: “It does sound a bit optimistic, but I would imagine that with the new Cranbrook settlement nearby, where many of the Skypark workers are likely to be living, we will exceed the national average for walking and cycling.”

Mr Goss added: “We share the same concerns that if you are going to have sites which will inevitably attract people coming to work, there has to be a very strong package of incentives to dissuade people from driving their cars individually to the site and to promote alternatives. Our experience with travel plans in the Exeter area is that they have had very limited success.”

In addition to office and industrial units, the Skypark plans include creches, cafes, shops and a new 150-bedroom hotel.

(this article was taken from thisisexeter.co.uk)