AS PART OF a pilot program aiming to provide cyclists with increased security and to thwart bike theft, the City of London has unveiled enclosed bike lockers at three locations downtown.
Located at the corner of Dundas and Wellington Street, the north end of Clarence Street (between Victoria Park and the former Williams Café), and in the underground parking garage at the Covent Garden Market, the lockers are made of a fibreglass shell and feature six secure locker spaces to provide bicycle owners with protection from theft, vandalism and inclement weather.
The lockers are big enough to accommodate one bike and some gear, like a helmet and pannier bag, but are not large enough for a trike, cargo bike or long-tail bike.
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Users can access the lockers using the Movatic smartphone app, which lets them open and close a locker using Bluetooth technology. Cyclists can download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play, or by scanning a QR code on any of the lockers.
Based in Ann Arbor, Michican, Movatic specializes in mobility technology that allows end users to access third party lockers, car rentals, parking, bike shares and other transportation solutions.
To access an available locker, users open the app when they are near it. The app will also tell them which lockers are already in use.
“Bike lockers with electronic access is an exciting innovation in the active transportation industry,” says Jay Stanford, Director of Climate Change, Environment & Waste Management. “These lockers are highly secure, and the Bluetooth access powered by Movatic provides the most advanced system for electronic access to a bike locker available today.”
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At each bank of lockers, cyclists will be able to rent four of the six parking spaces on a short-term (hourly) basis. The first two hours are free, then the cost is $0.50 per hour after that to a maximum of 24 hours.
Two of the six parking spaces at each locker will also be made available for monthly long-term rentals, which cyclists can apply for through the city clerks office at a monthly cost of $20 (plus HST), plus a $100 deposit.
The city will be monitoring the use of the lockers as pilot project to provide more secure bike parking for residents and workers downtown. The pilot period runs through July 31, 2022, and users and residents are invited to provide feedback by emailing cycling@london.ca.
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