Elliott’s Row

The council should consider increasing the number of bike lockers available on the estate, or install cycle stands in empty spaces (outside of escape routes/communal areas), or add 2 cycle hangars to Elliott’s Row. While we appreciate that 12 lockers have already been provided, this number is far too limited given that there are 84 flats in the development, and only 3 of the 12 lockers are actually used regularly; most are occupied but rarely opened.

With multiple occupants in most households, the potential demand for secure storage goes well beyond 84 bikes. Yet at present, fewer than 15% of households could store even a single bicycle safely. A more reasonable standard would be to provide at least one locker for every 4–5 flats, which would mean around 17–21 lockers for Hayles Buildings as a minimum. This would still not meet every household’s needs, but it would make access fairer and reflect the real level of demand.

Hayles Buildings is a pre-war artisanal dwellings with small rooms and very tight corridors. Personal storage of bikes is simply not possible.

You will note that all the cycle hangars in the local area are occupied too.

The current shortfall creates several problems:

• Security is compromised: Bikes are often left in stairwells, attached to railings, or other unsuitable areas, which increases the risk of theft and obstructs communal spaces.
• Cycling is discouraged: Many residents would like to cycle but are put off because they cannot safely store a bike.
• Access is unequal: With such a small proportion of lockers relative to households, only a handful of residents benefit, namely those that were able to reserve the lockers when first provisioned, while others remain without any facilities.
• Car use is increased: With an already congested car park in the rear of Hayles Buildings, Southwark could justify reducing parking spaces by increasing cycle storage provisioning.

This issue is especially pressing given Elliott’s Row sits directly on Cycle Superhighway 7, one of London’s major cycling routes. The council has invested significantly in promoting active travel along this corridor, yet residents living right on the route are unable to store bicycles securely. Expanding locker provision here would strongly support Southwark’s wider commitments to active travel, sustainability, and healthier neighbourhoods.