Abandoned Bicycle Stands in Bonn and Leverkusen: Millionaire's Grave Seeing No Use
In the heart of Leverkusen and Bonn, futuristic-looking bike parking facilities have been standing tall since late 2023. Despite their investment of three million euros each, these facilities have been a disappointment, with each spot being booked on average only 11 times a year.
The bike parking facility in Leverkusen's Opladen commuter hub, boasting nearly 400 parking spots, covered, secured, and with charging options for e-bikes, has been no exception. The local transport company Wupsi invested three million euros in this facility, with each spot costing one euro per day.
Similarly, the city of Bonn has four expensive bike parking facilities located at Beuel station, Konrad-Adenauer-Platz, Stiftsplatz, and Frankenbad. Each spot in these facilities costs one euro per day as well.
Despite the affordable pricing, these facilities have failed to attract a significant number of users. The key challenges users face are inconvenient access or location, complex access procedures, lack of integration with other transport modes or cycling infrastructure, perceived or actual security concerns, insufficient awareness, and promotion.
For instance, facilities may be placed where cyclists do not easily pass or prefer to park their bikes, reducing their use. Additionally, users might avoid facilities requiring complicated registration or access methods. If parking does not connect well with transit hubs or main cycling paths, it discourages usage. Even expensive parking does not guarantee a sense of safety if surveillance or maintenance is lacking. Users may remain unaware of the facilities or unsure of their benefits.
These challenges are not unique to Leverkusen and Bonn. In fact, they are consistent with broader findings in urban bike infrastructure, where user convenience and seamless integration are critical for adoption. Unfortunately, the search results did not specify more detailed studies on Bonn and Leverkusen, but these general factors explain why well-funded, affordable bike parking can still fail.
In an effort to revitalise the service, Wupsi has restarted the service in Leverkusen and introduced more advertising, a free trial period, and easier operation to make the bike parking facility more attractive. The cycling club in Leverkusen, however, criticises the lack of a dedicated bike lane on Europa-Allee, which cyclists must navigate to reach the bike parking facility. The feedback from passersby and residents in the area is that the long walk, complicated process, and enough free parking spots nearby are reasons why they do not use the service.
Looking ahead, a future report on this topic is scheduled for 13.08.2025 in web TV: Local Time from Cologne, 7:30 PM. On-site observations by web reporters, interviews with Kristin Menzel from Wupsi, and interviews with the ADFC were conducted for this article. It is hoped that further insights and solutions will be uncovered to overcome the challenges faced by these bike parking facilities.
- Despite the efforts to make the bike parking facilities in Leverkusen and Bonn more attractive, such as affordable pricing, free trials, and ease of operation, the facilities continue to face challenges related to access, location, security, infrastructure integration, and promotion.
- In an effort to boost usage, the cycling club in Leverkusen has highlighted the need for a dedicated bike lane on Europa-Allee to make the bike parking facility more accessible and convenient for cyclists.
