Q-Parks network of Central London Cycle Hubs, which are powered by Spokesafe, has surpassed 60,000 individual accesses.

Introduction

Q-Parks network of Central London cycle hubs has recently broken new records, with 60,975 accesses via Spokesafe’s system taking place across the network.

Starting at Oxford Street in 2019, we partnered with Q-Park to build London’s first Pay As You Go cycle hub. This was then extended to Soho in 2020, with a further location opening in Chinatown in 2022 to create a true network of secure places to park across Central London for cyclists.

How does it work?

Cyclists can book a space for the day, week, or month at any of these locations via the Spokesafe app, all of which are open 24/7.

Every user who wants to use the facility has to pass an ID Verification Check on the Spokesafe app, and every access is recorded on our purpose-built management system, Spokesafe_OS.

While each of the facilities themselves is individually unique to fit the needs of each car park they are situated in, they share some commonalities:

- Every Hub has a different combination of rack types. However, every cyclist who books chooses their rack ahead of their journey in to guarantee a space.

- Every location contains eBike charging points. These are also booked ahead of each journey and are managed by Spokesafe’s unique eBike battery charging policy.

- All Hubs contain personal storage lockers for cyclists to store small extras like helmets and gloves. These are also connected to the Spokesafe_OS to allow for automated access & remote management.

Hub Management

The Hubs have a combined total number of 138 racks. So how do we manage to get 60,000 accesses from 138 spaces within just a few years? Our management system, Spokesafe_OS, is the key to ensuring Q-Park’s cycle parking facilities get the love they deserve.

The basis of any cycle parking facility is providing a space for regular commuters, which our booking system provides via a monthly subscription. This allows both individuals to sign up for a guaranteed reserved rack & locker, as well as a Corporate option where local businesses can book spaces for their staff members.

However, it is the Daily booking option that powers Spokesafe_OS's ability to facilitate many more journeys by bike. This is where a cyclist can book a rack & access the Hub on a one-off basis. We can do this because we don’t depend on fobs & keys, with access taking place via the purpose-built Spokesafe app instead.

This ability has led to a whopping 1535 individual cyclists utilising the service on top of the standard monthly figure.

Journey Types

While these stats are great it’s the type of journey which this system enables which is important. We broadly see three types of journeys across the Q-Park network:

• Commuter - Someone who cycles in every day on their way to & from work, and will typically need to access the Hub on a 9am-6pm schedule.

• Leisure - Someone who cycles in occasionally to visit a museum, restaurant or theatre, often in the evening or at the weekend.

• Worker - Someone who cycles for work, and needs a secure place to leave their vehicle in the centre of the city. They may use the service at any time during 24 hours. This includes both workers on cargo bikes for logistics firms and delivery drivers.

Because Spokesafe_OS is purpose-built to manage cycle parking hubs, we can handle all these journey types seamlessly. Furthermore, Spokesafe’s operations & customer service team works round the clock, able to respond to users instantly. Whether it’s someone who’s had a late-night drink in Soho or is working on a 6am delivery at Chinatown, we’re the only cycle parking management system in the world that runs a 24/7 emergency helpline.

Thanks are also owed to Q-Park, who stuck by their initial commitment to enhancing cycling facilities in the capital. Their network has withstood significant changes to journeys during the pandemic (when more people were cycling overall, but fewer journeys into Central London were made). Q-Park has also backed the Spokesafe team, who initially completed these bookings manually before tying our learnings into the Spokesafe app.

And it’s not only us who owe thanks. Here’s a selection of some feedback we’ve received from cyclists who have accessed these hubs over the years:

Conclusion

So, why is this important? This network of cycle hubs is an early indication of what can be achieved with cycle parking infrastructure in cities. When we provide membership options that reflect the real needs of cyclists, not the operator, more journeys by bike are made to a facility. This is pretty obvious - if car parks only had long-term parking options available, we would expect to see fewer journeys made by car!

Furthermore, a management system like Spokesafe_OS allows these facilities to be used for more than just "a place to park". They transform people's commutes, create journeys into town centres where people spend money, and provide spaces where businesses based on bikes can flourish.

Since working with Q-Park, we've expanded this model and created hubs in shopping centres, underutilised spaces on high streets, and existing facilities simply by retrofitting a Spokesafe_OS connected lock.

Want to see something similar in your town or city? Get in touch with us here.