TransLink to install solar-powered on-demand bike lockers at six transit hubs, including SkyTrain stations

TransLink has announced a pilot plan to install new on-demand outdoor bike lockers at six transit hubs, including three SkyTrain stations, during the coming months.

Two of the locations, Langley's Carvolth Exchange and Port Moody's Moody Centre Station, already have the new lockers installed and available.

According to a June 18 TransLink release, the new lockers do not require advance booking and boast mobile payment and keyless entry. Current lockers available at 27 SkyTrain staions, six West Coast Express (WCE) stations, and three bus exchanges require reservations, a minimum three-month booking, and a refundable $50 key deposit.

The new lockers are pay-as-you-go, with a monthly booking option. Payment and keyless access are available through a free smartphone app called Bikeep, downloadable through GooglePlay or the App Store.

The other four locations that will be receiving the new lockers are the Lonsdale Quay Exchange, 22^nd Street Station, VCC-Clark Station, and Richmond-Brighouse Station.

“This initiative is part of our goal to make it easier for people to combine cycling and transit into their everyday travel,” Jeffrey Busby, TransLink’s acting vice president of engineering, said in the release. “Introducing this state-of-the-art technology to our transit system will give customers another convenient place to store their bike and make it even easier to use green transportation in Metro Vancouver.”

The new storage facilities, which will number 71 in total for the pilot project, are solar powered and feature enhanced security features, according to the bulletin.

HUB Cycling’s executive director, Erin O’Melinn, said in the release that the added security should be an incentive for commuters to shift to cycling as part of their routine. “Bike theft continues to be a barrier that holds people back from cycling more often," O'Melinn said. "Providing better end-of-trip facilities, like these bike lockers, will help people safely store their bikes and other cycling gear and shift towards adopting cycling and transit into their daily commute.”

Locker usage will be monitored until the fall of this year, when a decision will be made about expanding the service to other stations and hubs.

The Lower Mainland transit system also features a dozen bike parkades; bike racks, which feature the lowest level of security, are available at all SkyTrain and WCE stations, as well as at most bus exchanges.

TransLink also announced in the release the installation of new on-demand bike racks at Lonsdale Quay and Moody Centre that charge 10 cents per hour, capped at a dollar per day.