Newly refurbished Tesco - Cycle Parking Removed

[Sheffield_Tiger]

[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-3ALUwjIx0[/media]


There used to be minimal cycle parking at this Tesco..it was removed during the "refurbishment" and "improvements".

Hmm....Sainsburys have Sheffield stands (albeit uncovered) and their store backs onto this one. Tough choice of where to shop eh?

 

[summerdays]

Did you try looking around the back of the store ... perhaps in the bushes or right next to the building? My experiences of Tesco's ... they don't care about cyclists... and if it wasn't that it was my nearest store I wouldn't go there again. However I now use the new stands that they put in for the trolleys to be under shelter and lock my bike to that. I almost dare Tesco's staff to make a comment ...

Sorry Rant over ... they make my blood boil ... Waitrose are nice but a bit further away.

 

[darth vadar]

Did you try looking around the back of the store ... perhaps in the bushes or right next to the building? My experiences of Tesco's ... they don't care about cyclists... and if it wasn't that it was my nearest store I wouldn't go there again. However I now use the new stands that they put in for the trolleys to be under shelter and lock my bike to that. I almost dare Tesco's staff to make a comment ...

Sorry Rant over ... they make my blood boil ... Waitrose are nice but a bit further away.

Instead of ranting and raving, why don't you try and do something positive to try and improve the situation?

Perhaps you could write to the Store Manager, or maybe even to Head Office.

And, what about the local press or other pressure groups that might be able to help. Don't businesses have to produce local travel plans these days? If so, then ask the local authority about theirs.

Things like this are all about winning hearts and minds, but in all fairness, how many people do their weekly shop on a bike?

Whinging and moaning and then doing sweet FA ain't gonna change things.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

[QUOTE 1253515"]
Did you ask about the cycle parking in the store? They might be waiting on a stand being delivered. Try going back there in a weeks time - I bet you'll find a fully covered stand with those people who wear hi-vis vests offering to clean your bike for a fiver while you do your shopping.
[/quote]


Yes, I did in fact..a week or so age when the store had just re-opened

The deputy manager had no idea there wasn't any cycle parking and whether or not there would be any but "there are plenty of posts and rails and stuff" and that, apparently was good enough

"Fully covered stand" - lol....you don't go to Tesco much do you?
(not that I can blame you, I only went tonight to go back to check on the parking situation, though I do use another branch on my way to work just because it's the most convenient)

I would hazard a guess that cycle parking may be required as part of the plans for the expansion but not that it would bother Tesco too much

 

[summerdays]

Instead of ranting and raving, why don't you try and do something positive to try and improve the situation?

Perhaps you could write to the Store Manager, or maybe even to Head Office.

And, what about the local press or other pressure groups that might be able to help. Don't businesses have to produce local travel plans these days? If so, then ask the local authority about theirs.

Things like this are all about winning hearts and minds, but in all fairness, how many people do their weekly shop on a bike?

Whinging and moaning and then doing sweet FA ain't gonna change things.

Actually I did complain ... both to the store, and I asked for help on here at the time. I complained to the council, wrote to the planning department, and found that different departments such as planning didn't talk to the cycle city team. As far as they were concerned they had re-installed the 6 stands (had been 3 at one time and I used to request the store up the amount of cycle parking on a regular basis - and after a couple of years it changed to 6 - probably completely unrelated to me - but I felt I at least had asked on a regular basis). The fact that the 6 stands were installed badly and out of the way positions didn't seem to bother the planning department.

And as for how many people the reason I asked for more stands was that the 3 stands regularly were full. Every time I go there are usually several bikes locked up (mostly to the trolley stands - the racks are usually empty for some strange reason!!!) so there are a number of customers who arrive by bike.

The Waitrose I mentioned has about 10 or 12 stands and I have turned up and found every stand had at least one bike if not two approached so it shows the demand is there if you cater for it.

It isn't the only Tesco's store I have complained about the cycle stands at - as far as I can see it is fairly wide spread throughout the Tesco's chain (not all stores though). I have got to the point where I don't think I can help influence any strategy they have towards cycling to the store. They won't even notice the small drop of me not shopping there would make.

Sorry I feel I was justified in my rant.

 

[snorri]

Whinging and moaning and then doing sweet FA ain't gonna change things.

Usually I would agree with the sentiments you express, but have you ever won a dispute with T****?.
I have done most of the things you listed, and some other things as well, regarding useless cycle parking at one of their new stores, it got me nowhere, they totally ignored my complaints, they just don't care.
The only option left is, as Sheffield _Tiger suggests, boycott the company and encourage friends and relative to do the same.


Every Lidl helps.



Edited spelling error, one/won

 

[Peter88]

Tesco's every very little helps

 

[marinyork]

Did you try looking around the back of the store ... perhaps in the bushes or right next to the building? My experiences of Tesco's ... they don't care about cyclists... and if it wasn't that it was my nearest store I wouldn't go there again. However I now use the new stands that they put in for the trolleys to be under shelter and lock my bike to that. I almost dare Tesco's staff to make a comment ...

Sorry Rant over ... they make my blood boil ... Waitrose are nice but a bit further away.

The details of this store was that prior to refurbishment there was a tall tower structure adjacent to the north corner of the store here . This location was not ideal because it was hidden slightly round the corner out of view although it was reasonably close to the entrance. At this location three tescos special racks were tethered by way of a small cable to the tower structure and not secured to the floor in any way.

The store put in for planning application (10/00539/FUL) saying they wanted to vastly increase the floor space and car park. The consultation took part in the spring and was some considerable time ago so I've forgotten some of the details and don't have fresh eyes. The gist of it is that the mezzanine will increase the floor space by about 50% and car parking spaces will be increased from 463 to 'approximately' 691. In the travel plan tescos says that 'The existing cycle parking provision consists of 9 Sheffield style racks, providing secure, convenient parking within an overlooked area for 18 cycles. The development proposals, in accordance with planning policy, include and equal number of cycle space provision.' It then rambles on at great length about it's travel plan. i.e. we're not putting in any more cycle stands even though we're hugely increasing the number of cars and then spend ages going on about this set of contradictory ideas.

From the transport statement ...

2.11 ... The store provides 9 sheffield style cycle stands accommodating 18 cycles in total.

3.13 Sheffield City Council Cycle Parking standards direct a minimum cycle provision of 1 cycle per 1000m[sup]2[/sup]. With the existing and proposed provision of 9 sheffield stands providing space for 18 bikes, the store exceeds the requirements.

When the store was being refurbished the wooden box and cladding immediately surrounded the cycle parking area and the cycle parking went. They then fixed two tescos racks (of three obviously) to the other side of the entrance, halfway along the north-east edge of the store (I have photographic evidence of this). I've not been back to the site since work was completed.

I would like to point out that I do not shop at tescos. In addition the Sainsburys next door infact has cycle parking at 3 different locations - one at each entrance. At one of these locations the cycle stands are not only covered but they are properly individually installed sheffield stands as per best practice i.e. you can actually get 2 bikes onto each stand. They also have CCTV pointing at one location and cycle lockers. The sainsburys capacity is effectively double what Tescos is if you take all factors into account. As per Tesco's specials racks, you cannot actually fit 18 bicycles to them in the guidance meaning of the word.

 

[661-Pete]

You could try:
https://www.tescocomments.com/

 

[marinyork]

Had a quick look around. There appears to be no cycle parking in either of the locations there was previously or along any of the shopface. They've built a road over the original cycle parking! There may be some somewhere in the vast carpark but I had a cycle round in the dark and couldn't notice any.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

Had a quick look around. There appears to be no cycle parking in either of the locations there was previously or along any of the shopface. They've built a road over the original cycle parking! There may be some somewhere in the vast carpark but I had a cycle round in the dark and couldn't notice any.

Nope..none at all. Only the sign for cycle parking that's in my vid (though not clear, was dark)

Off-topic, I've had enough of Tesco full stop now - I did sign the petition against the Tesco Express near me but laziness/convenience got the better of me. Walked out last night after being completely ignored by two members of staff who actually left the tills while I'm stood there with an auto-till shouting for approval for a bottle of wine (I'd already been stood there like a lemon while they pratted about with something else, they walked straight past me and off, nattering).

Left the stuff and walked out

Bits for tonights tea were sourced where they should have been sourced from - an independant local shop and only a few minutes further walk

Still going to hassle them about the parking issue though out of principle

 

[marinyork]

Ah, I see why that sign is there now. That was where the temporary cycle parking was (no longer) when they bulldozed the tower and put scaffolding and wood round the other side of the building.

 

[sheddy]

Unexpected customer in the bagging area !

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

Just for fun (don't phone....as they used to say) since I'm an "old school" protestor - direct action (but sans extincteur le feu) it would be fun, and provide some validity to, Critical Mass, for a group to either

1 - walk in en-masse with bicycles, walk all around Tesco, then make a token purchase of some Wrigleys Juicy Fruit, to be genuine customeres, with nowhere to leave bikes

2 - walk in without bicycles, fill trolley, go to tills, when all items scanned, hand over a letter to the manager explaining that this would be a normal weekly shop, however, as there are no cycle parking facilities, we cannot bring our bikes which we carry our shopping on. Therefore we are sorry, but we cannot complete the transaction as we can't sarry all this home on foot.

In reality, since I'm not as gung-ho as I used to be, I shall probably just write a polite letter followed by a strong letter - a tactic which saw my parents be the first in Hull to successfully fend off a compulsory purchase order and my groing up in the only street of privately owned traditional terraces in a sprawl of new-build council streets, so I guess it works sometimes.

 

[sheddy]

Like it.
After my jammed lock experience yesterday, I wheeled my bike into the Nationwide and then Argos. Nobody complained