Free bike storage hub opens by station

A new bicycle storage hub has opened at Wolverhampton Interchange.

The secure facility on Railway Drive can house more than 100 bikes and is free to use, with cyclists able to register online to access it, the city council said.

It has been paid for by charity Walk Wheel Cycle Trust, working on behalf of the Department for Transport.

“This new facility will help people get the benefits of riding when making longer journeys which are too far to ride but easy when you join cycle and train,” David Hibbs from the trust said.

City council leader Stephen Simkins said the Interchange, which combines bus, rail, and metro services, was “a jewel in the crown” amid major regeneration in Wolverhampton.

The cycle hub encouraged another clean and green form of transport, the councillor added.

“This scheme complements our ongoing work to improve and grow our cycling network and support our climate change agenda,” he said.

The Interchange is part of an £150m investment in bus, tram, train and cycle transport connectivity, the council said.

The railway station concourse opened in 2021 and the West Midlands Metro was extended to serve the station in 2023.

Beccy Marston, West Midlands active travel commissioner, said: “We have seen huge investment in new rail, bus, Metro services and cycle access in Wolverhampton and this cycle hub now completes the package.

“Evidence shows that if given modern and secure facilities like this, people will cycle more as part of a much longer train or tram journey.”