As part of a Translink initiative to encourage more motorists to leave their cars at home and use trains and buses, cyclists across Northern Ireland can now use 38 bike shelter/storage facilities at stations.
As the brand name of Northern Ireland’s integrated bus and rail public transport company, Translink is a public corporation which provides public transport in the region. Northern Ireland Railways, Ulsterbus and Metro are also part of Translink.
The first two secure cycle compounds have just opened at Belfast’s Holywood and Lisburn railway stations; other more traditional shelters have been rolled out across the region. A lack of secure cycle parking can put off people commuting by bicycle, hence Translink sought access control for the shelters.
Martin Nixon from Ambar Systems, the local SALTO authorised dealer in Northern Ireland, says: “This is the first time access control via the cloud has been used in a project of this kind. Using SALTO’s new KS ‘Keys as a Service’ technology, access to the secure bicycle shelter which can accommodate up to 30 bicycles at Holywood and is internally lit at night, is via a secure tag available from Translink.
“When the cyclist presents their tag to the wall reader located on the outside of the shelter it communicates via the Cloud with a SALTO IQ unit located nearby. This instantly verifies the identity of the cyclist and whether they have access rights to that shelter. If valid the wall reader releases electro-magnetic locks on the door of the shelter and the cyclist is able to gain access. At the same time Translink receives a notification that that particular tag, at that time and day, has accessed the shelter. If the cyclist loses their tag at any time it can be instantly blocked and a new one assigned.”
To apply for a Secure Bike Shelter Compound key fob visit www.translink.co.uk/cycleshelters/.
Translink Group Chief Executive Chris Conway said: “This is good news for all our customers who want to enjoy an active lifestyle enabling them to easily integrate both cycling and public transport into their regular journeys. Cycling offers a healthy, flexible, inexpensive and environmentally-friendly way to travel for people of all ages. 65pc of everyday journeys in NI are less than five miles – perfect distances for a leisurely cycle. Existing cycle facilities are popular with many at capacity so this significant development will provide our customers with convenient parking for easy transfer onto the bus or train.”
