Whether or not to make those metal bike lockers in downtown London permanent will be up for debate this week at city hall.
A staff report headed to the civic works committee Wednesday recommends keeping the 18 lockers currently placed at Dundas and Wellington streets, the underground parking garage at the Covent Garden Market, and the north end of Clarence Street beside Victoria Park.
Initially launched as a pilot project, the lockers saw 1,115 hourly rentals by cyclists between the end of August 2021 and the end of December 2022. Of the three banks of lockers placed around the downtown, the ones at the Covent Garden Market and the northeast corner of Wellington and Dundas were the most popular. Usage jumped over the duration of the pilot project averaging 85 hourly rentals per month in 2022, compared to only 17 in 2021.
Cyclists could either rent the lockers monthly at a cost of $20 or use them hourly for .50, with the first two hours free. Only four people decided to rent monthly.
"[The lockers] provide a higher level of security and convenience for Londoners riding a bike. Bike lockers help prevent theft, provide weather protection, and deter casual vandalism," the staff report states.
It goes on to note that overall feedback from locker users was "positive".
Over 90 per cent of rental sessions were issue free, according to staff. However, of the concerns raised, the top three issues were lockers not opening after multiple attempts by users, lockers being too small for some bikes, and users being charged more than expected.
The lockers cost the city $80,000 and would cost between $3,000 and $5,000 annually to continue to operate.
In addition to keeping the lockers, staff recommend moving the bank on Clarence Street 50 metres north to Central Avenue and Richmond Street in order to improve visibility and access.
If given the nod by civic works, the decision to make the lockers permanent will go to full council next month.
