Dutch rail stations to get gate-controlled bike parking

An NS Stations barrier controlled bike park

An NS Stations barrier controlled bike park

Secure cycle parking areas are being rolled out across the Dutch rail system.

The Netherlands has a long-standing culture of commuters using cycling as the initial part of their journey, with 400,000 passengers using their bikes to travel to the station every day, according to NS Stations figures.

The rail station operator has appointed Siemens to improve cycle parking at 47 railway stations by installing self-service cycle parking solution. These will provide cyclists with a secure entrance with glass gates.

The parking stations are free of charge for the first 24 hours and be available for parking both privately owned and rental bikes.

The NS Stations Security Operations Centre will supervise passenger safety using an intelligent CCTV camera system, also delivered by Siemens.

Siemens will provide around-the-clock system monitoring to ensure system availability, as well as predictive maintenance for a period of eight years.  Siemens will also work with NS Stations to jointly develop future innovations in access systems for cycle parking facilities using RFID technology (Radio Frequency Identification).

The Siemens Netherlands’ Customer Support Centre will provide system monitoring for the new parking facilities, including a detailed dashboard with the ability to predict malfunctions so they can be diagnosed and addressed before any problem occurs.

The new parking solution was tested in the Dutch towns of Bilthoven and Heerenveen before implementation began at other stations. The remaining 45 self-service parking facilities will be delivered throughout 2018. At the test stations, a follow-up survey showed greatly improved customer satisfaction and a significant increase in the use of the parking location.

The value of the contract is €14.2 million (£12.4m).

Siemens Building Technologies Netherlands’ country manager Joanne Meyboom said: “We’re working collaboratively with NS Stations to optimise the implementation, providing access to safe and easily accessible cycle parking to facilitate passenger journeys and deliver a more positive travel experience.”