Bike parking towers could be established in another 13 cities

Hradec Králové - Bicycle parking towers could be established in another eight to thirteen Czech cities. This was stated today in Hradec Králové by Rudolf Bernart from the company Systematica, which manufactures technology and operates a bicycle parking tower at Hradec's Riegrovo Square. Other towers in Hradec Králové and in Přerov are operated by different entities.

"A funding call has been issued for the modernization of transport terminals, which includes a bicycle parking tower. According to our information, up to 13 cities are interested," said Bernart. The construction of the tower costs approximately 9.5 million crowns, including the project processing, and the funding could cover up to 90 percent of the costs. A decision on obtaining the funding should be made in the autumn; cities such as Břeclav and Lysá nad Labem have already expressed interest in building a tower earlier.

The first tower for cyclists in the Czech Republic and the entire European Union was put into operation in Hradec Králové in 2013; the octagonal tube made of glass and steel offers space for 116 bicycles. In its first year, it was used by 10,650 cyclists, who pay five crowns for bicycle storage, and this year's attendance is estimated to be around 21,000 people. "Experience has shown that some things need to be changed. For example, the tower in Přerov is 85 percent based on a different system that is controlled remotely, and the whole process is also faster," Bernart said.

Last November, a parking tower for cyclists began operating at the shopping center on Brněnská Street in Hradec Králové, which is expected to be used by about 5,000 cyclists in its first year of operation. Since last December, the tower in Přerov has been in operation, which is estimated to be used by around 15,000 cyclists in its first year. The parking houses operate without staff; cyclists do not have to remove anything from their bikes and can leave helmets, bags, and other items on them. A token with a chip is used to retrieve the bike, which the cyclist receives when storing the bike.