Key facts
- Over 75% of office cycle parking spaces in central London are vacant during peak times.
- Newer buildings designed to 2021 London Plan standards have an 84% vacancy rate for cycle parking.
- The London Property Alliance (LPA) analyzed 21 office buildings totaling 10.7m sq ft.
- The LPA estimates only 6.5% of employees cycle to work, compared to the London Plan's assumption of 19%.
Office developers in London are advocating for reforms to reduce mandatory cycle parking requirements, citing widespread underutilization of existing facilities. The London Property Alliance (LPA) found that more than three-quarters of indoor bike rack spaces in 21 central London office buildings are empty during peak mid-week periods. In newer developments adhering to the 2021 London Plan standards, this vacancy rate rises to 84%.
The LPA's analysis, covering over 10.7 million square feet of office space, suggests that current regulations, which primarily calculate parking needs by floorspace, are outdated. The organization estimates that only 6.5% of employees cycle to work, significantly lower than the 19% assumed by the current London Plan. This discrepancy leads to substantial amounts of unused, costly, and carbon-intensive basement space.
Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan has proposed changes in the draft London Plan to address this issue. These include shifting towards a staff-based calculation for cycle parking and recognizing that full onsite provision may not be feasible or appropriate, especially if it requires additional basement levels or reduces lettable floorspace. Alternatives such as shared on-street parking or public hire cycle infrastructure are being considered. The LPA welcomed these proposals, stating they could provide a viability boost to office schemes by reducing construction costs and allowing the repurposed space to be used for underground amenity areas.