Brent Council to Spend £1.5M on Secure Cycle Parking

Brent Council is set to invest £1.5 million in secure cycle parking across the borough, addressing high demand and promoting sustainable transport. The expansion of secure cycle parking directly supports the council's ambition to create safer, greener, and more accessible neighbourhoods across Brent, aligning with the Brent Borough Plan (2023–2027), the Long Term Transport Strategy, the Climate & Ecological Emergency Strategy, and the Active Travel Plan, all of which aim to improve the public realm, according to the Procurement of Secure Cycle Parking Provision report.

The decision was made at a Cabinet meeting on 8 December 2025, where members approved the procurement of a five-year contract, with the option to extend for a further two years, for the supply, installation, management, maintenance, and cleaning of bike hangars and nests. The £1.5 million investment covers these provisions, with the selected contractor responsible for the ongoing maintenance of all bike hangars and nests¹.

The contract will include the delivery of £650,000 of Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (NCIL) funding for 2025/26 to support the expansion of secure cycle parking across the borough, as previously approved by the Cabinet on 8 September 2025. Approximately £500,000 of NCIL funding will be allocated for the delivery and installation of around 100 bike hangars or nests, suggesting a cost of £5,000 per unit, according to the Procurement of Secure Cycle Parking Provision report.

Currently, there are over 150 bike hangars and nests installed across Brent. However, demand far exceeds supply, with over 1,200 requests from residents awaiting a space in a bike hangar. To address this, the council plans to install at least 70 new bike hangars/nests in high-demand locations and 30 replacement units. Delivery of the new bike hangars / cycle nests will commence in April 2026, as outlined in the Procurement of Secure Cycle Parking Provision report.

Locations for the new bike hangars and nests will be determined based on resident demand and site constraints, with officers identifying and prioritising suitable locations. These locations will then be subject to consultation with stakeholders, including ward councillors and local residents. Alternative sites may be assessed if substantial objections are received, ensuring delivery within the funding timeframes, according to the Procurement of Secure Cycle Parking Provision report.

Councillor Krupa Sheth, Cabinet Member for Public Realm & Enforcement, said the programme would bring wider community benefits including increasing access to secure cycle parking, encouraging active travel, reducing transport costs for residents, supporting health and wellbeing, and contributing to the borough's climate and environmental commitments.

The council aims to address the high demand for secure cycle parking, promote cycling as a sustainable mode of transport, and improve the overall quality of life for its residents. Each bike hangar/nest provides secure, lockable, sheltered parking for six bicycles within the footprint of a single parking space.