3000 bicycle parking spaces planned in 6 Parisian stations
An initiative for the Olympic Games
Île-de-France Mobilités has announced the creation of 3000 bicycle parking spaces in six of the largest stations in Paris for the 2024 Olympic Games. The stations involved are Austerlitz, Montparnasse, Gare de l’Est, Gare du Nord, Saint-Lazare, and Bercy. For example, Gare du Nord will have nearly 1200 spaces, while Paris Bercy will have 120. This initiative will facilitate travel for Parisians and tourists, provided that the rest of the public transport network keeps up.
A 6-month delay on targets
Nevertheless, despite this advance, the region is significantly behind on the bicycle parking targets at stations set by the LOM law. According to the Vélo et Territoires observatory, only 12% of stations had reached the target set for the end of 2023. The new spaces will help the main Parisian stations get closer to the targets, but Gare Saint-Lazare will still be far from its goal with nearly 500 spaces planned by the end of June, while the target is double that amount.
Challenges encountered
Various factors explain these delays: the involvement of many stakeholders such as SNCF, RATP, regions, and municipalities complicates coordination. Moreover, the availability of space around stations, where land is scarce and expensive, poses a problem. Reducing some car parking spaces could help move forward on this point.
Intermodality, which combines several modes of transport in a single journey, is essential for the mobilities of tomorrow. The bicycle offers a solution to current challenges, but its success also depends on the public transport network.
Conclusion
These new initiatives for bicycle parking areas mark a necessary but insufficient advance to make up for the accumulated delay. To succeed in this transition to more sustainable mobility, better coordination between different stakeholders and a more comprehensive integration of public transport are essential.
