Below is the text of the bid made by MCC in 1995 to the Department of Transport for Cycle Challenge funding to set up Britain's first attended cycle parking scheme at a railway station - common practice on the continent.

It describes the vision we still have (December 1997) for cycle parking at this station. We now have the full support of the station manager, the council, and our local MP. The site is available, rent-free, for anyone who would care to come and take it on.

"We need to offer people greater confidence in opting to cycle. That involves allotting funds for improving conditions on the roads, creating direct, convenient and safe routes as well as organising means of parking and securing bikes at the ends of journeys."

Steven Norris MP, Transport Minister, June 1995

Current cycle parking facilities at Wimbledon station are far from adequate, mainly due to the 'unsavoury' character of the location: a dimly lit, potentially accessible but most unwelcoming area. A smell of stale urine pervades the area, and there are often signs that vandals or bike thieves have recently passed through. There is a general sense that it is both unsafe for bikes and their owners. Furthermore, there is no signposting indicating that cycle parking is available.

Consequently, the number of cycles parked at any one time in the present facility, although ample space is available, can usually be counted on the fingers of one hand. Potential demand however is high - in excess of 60 bikes locked to railings just outside the station are counted regularly.

Merton Council's strategy report on cycling in the borough, upon which the present network construction programme is based, predicts demand for 150 cycle parking spaces at Wimbledon Station per day once the five-year network construction programme is complete.

The Wimbledon Cycle Station project has evolved from a series of meetings held between the Merton Branch of the London Cycling Campaign and different railway authorities which began well before the DoT's Cycle Challenge initiative was announced in July 1995.

The cyclists' minimum requirements included a splash of paint, some more suitable `Sheffield' parking racks to replace the current space-wasting `Grippa' stands, and direction signs indicating the facility's existence. Further significant improvements could be achieved by minor building alterations to allow daylight to flood in from the walkway crossing the railway lines - this would also open up the area for all passers-by to see, bringing further benefits of attracting more users, and dissuading vandals and bike thieves.

Wimbledon Cycle Station goes further still, progressing the objectives of increasing desirability and use, by providing continental-style attended parking. 

For a small fee, say 30 pence, (certainly less than the lowest bus fare into Wimbledon) the cyclist would hand in his/her bike in exchange for a ticket, much the same system as a cloakroom at the theatre. The cycle parking attendant would attach the ticket stub to the cycle and hang it up (by its front wheel from a hook suspended from the ceiling) again like in a cloakroom. 

Wimbledon Cycle Station would be the first such scheme to operate at a railway station in London - a common continental practice.

The main objective is to provide an excellent and friendly service for local cyclists. Stemming from this it is anticipated that the attraction of cycling into Wimbledon will increase, and many travellers into Wimbledon will switch to bikes instead of cars for the convenience and low price of parking, and the appeal of avoiding the morning and evening rush-hour traffic that snarls up Wimbledon daily. 

A further objective is to improve the accessibility of the rail network to cyclists, and thereby increase numbers of rail passengers. Travellers like door-to-door convenience; Cycle/Train is an obvious combination of modes to replace many journeys currently made by private car. Wimbledon Cycle Station would provide the interface for a rapid and hassle-free switch between the two modes.

Supported strongly by the London Cycling Campaign head office, the local LCC group is responsible for the initial concept of Wimbledon Cycle Station. The local LCC group called the first steering group meeting and has chaired all project meetings since. LCC(Merton) has taken the lead role in drafting and submitting this bid to the DoT.

Richard Evans, Borough Co-ordinator, LCC Merton

LBM has been committed to the London Cycle Network since 1989 when it commissioned JMP Consultants to draw up detailed plans for a Merton network of cycle routes. LBM supports Wimbledon Cycle Station because it will complement and enhance the local cycle network, leading to a greater proportion of journeys being done by bike, which is a prime objective of the local Agenda 21. LBM will contribute £10,000 to the project, and will pay for the use of space to display local tourist information.

Tony Colman, Leader of the Council, London Borough of Merton

BRB will issue a licence for Wimbledon Cycle Station to operate on the space currently reserved for cycle parking throughout the period prior to any redevelopment of Wimbledon Station. At that time (minimum 18 months' time) Wimbledon Cycle Station will be invited to bid for space in competition with any other prospective commercial tenants. If Wimbledon Cycle Station is unable to compete, BRB will give its best endeavours to suitably relocate Wimbledon Cycle Station.

As the owner of Wimbledon Station, Railtrack confirms that this proposal will not be opposed provided that SW Trains are happy, and the structural alterations and provision of services meet current standards and are designed and approved by independent professionals.

Marcel McClarnon, Plant & Services, Railtrack

As manager of Wimbledon Station, SWT confirms that the space to be used by Wimbledon Cycle Station will be available rent-free for the first two years of its operation - the agreement will then be reviewed.

Bob Nisbet, Wimbledon Station Manager, South West Trains

Evans Cycles, a chain of cycle shops operating in several locations across SW London, has given helpful and valuable advice in the production of this Cycle Challenge bid. If successful, Evans Cycles will submit a strong bid for running Wimbledon Cycle Station.

Michael Clark, Manager, Evans Cycles, Waterloo

An application would be made via LBM for the Aztec 'High Fliers Scheme' which provides funding and advice for starting up new businesses

Wimbledon Cycle Station will without doubt be a first for Britain, which is some twenty years behind its continental colleagues (notably the Dutch, Germans and Scandinavians) in the provision of decent cycling facilities. Their results from investing in cycling are staggering:

Many surveys have indicated that more people would cycle in London (and indeed across Britain) given better cycle routes, and better cycle parking at their journeys' ends. The London Cycle Network and the National Cycle Network are now being funded and built in answer to the first point; little however is being developed to deal with the second. Wimbledon Cycle Station would set a shining example to towns and cities across Britain.

The 1990 JMP Merton cycle survey revealed that Wimbledon Station is the most popular cycling destination in Merton, accounting for 14% of all cycle journeys. That is a significant proportion, and clearly, from the number of cycles locked to railings all around the station every day, its popularity is increasing.

The JMP report also forecast that the installation of the Merton cycle network (currently in progress) would lead to a doubling of the number of cycle journeys made in Merton.

Therefore, even without Wimbledon Cycle Station, it is clear that there will be increased demand for cycle parking at the borough's premier cycle destination.

Wimbledon Cycle Station will therefore provide for a demand that is already apparent and forecast to double; it will also be expected to generate new cycle traffic as it will be pleasant and inexpensive to use, thereby inducing journeymakers to Wimbledon to switch to using a bike because of the convenience benefits that Wimbledon Cycle Station will bring.

Success or failure of Wimbledon Cycle Station could be measured by a number of different yardsticks:

There is pressure on railway operators to exploit every square metre of station floorspace to bring in revenue. Cycle parking, to be most beneficial, needs to be covered and convenient - which puts it in competition for space with revenue providing facilities. Cycle parking needs to be convenient, because otherwise random parking becomes the norm (as at present) which can create an obstruction for other passengers (and pedestrians in Wimbledon Broadway).

There is currently no cycle shop in Wimbledon at all - the nearest being located in Wimbledon Village, Raynes Park, Morden and Colliers Wood - all about two miles away.

Wimbledon Station, at this stage in its development, offers a unique opportunity to provide convenient and covered cycle parking space with a very real potential of becoming a successful business. Wimbledon Cycle Station would also establish a blueprint for similar projects at railway stations across Britain.

Of course, Wimbledon Station being the age it is, there is always the chance of future redevelopment plans. It is possibly because of this that the present cycle parking facility has been allowed to become run down.

The earliest date that the site could be redeveloped is in 18 months' time, giving Wimbledon Cycle Station a window of opportunity to establish itself and compete with others should the need arise. British Railways Board has offered a licence for Wimbledon Cycle Station to operate over this period. With a financial `leg-up' from the DoT, and close monitoring, the long-term potential for Wimbledon Cycle Station could be judged over this first 18 month period.

If Wimbledon Station is redeveloped in 18 months' time, it is likely to for be the creation of retail units. This would only happen if sufficient interest in the units were shown by suitable tenants. Evans Cycles, a leading London chain of cycle shops, has shown a keen interest in taking a retail unit with the cycle parking as a customer service, while also looking ahead to the potential for creating a national Cycle Station franchise.

A second stage of redevelopment is scheduled for five years' time. This would be a much greater scale, full station redevelopment scheme. Once again, Wimbledon Cycle Station should be able to compete at reasonable retail rents if it is by then a successful business.

Furthermore, it is considered that the 5 year redevelopment plans will render unlikely the first development stage (in 18 months) outlined above, since it is doubtful that any new business would want to pay the high rents that would be required to cover the development costs, given such a short period before a further stage of development.

At any redevelopment stage, should Wimbledon Cycle Station not be in a position to compete with other retail bidders for new space, SW Trains and British Rail Board have promised `best endeavours' to suitably resite Wimbledon Cycle Station elsewhere on Wimbledon Station premises, in the full awareness that convenience and accessibility are of paramount importance.

The following timetable assumes DoT funding for Wimbledon Cycle Station is announced and available from January 1996:

Wimbledon Cycle Station will grab the attention of traffic engineers and cycle planners across Britain, through the yards of editorial that NBW generates in the national broadsheets and more specialist publications such as the cycle press, Local Transport Today, and the magazines of the metropolitan authorities.

Two budgets have been prepared, with notes (see appendix) detailing projected income and expenditure over the first five years of operation. One refers to start-up costs, the other to running costs. They demonstrate that Wimbledon Cycle Station will be expected to stand alone financially, and indeed thrive, from day one.

This involves DoT funding of £20,000, which will be matched by the combined contributions of the various project partners.