County’s first secure public cycle hub to open in The Dolphin

The Dolphin has partnered with BCP Council to deliver Dorset’s first secure public cycle storage facility in Poole town centre, opening in March 2023.

Legal & General Investment Management Real Assets (LGIM), the owners of The Dolphin, worked with BCP Council to secure a £30,000 grant from the Department for Transport’s Active Travel Fund to open the modern facility, located in a unit opposite Primark’s entrance.

The Dolphin Cycle Hub is part of BCP Council’s ‘Transforming Travel’ programme to create and promote greener, healthier, better-connected travel options across the county, particularly for shorter journeys. The ‘Transforming Travel’ programme aims to transform local travel, reduce road congestion and greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality and bring economic and health benefits across the conurbation.

LGIM, in partnership with BCP Council, identified a need for a secure public cycle storage hub within Poole to encourage people to cycle when visiting the town. The Dolphin was chosen as the ideal location for the brand-new facility due to its high footfall from local residents, shoppers, employees, and commuters who use both the bus and train station for onward travel.

Cycle parking platform Spokesafe has been appointed to bring its innovative cycle hub model to The Dolphin. The unit will include secure parking for up to 34 bikes, scooters, cargo bikes and non-standard cycles safely, providing 24-hour access for members.

Greg Westover, Fund Head of Retail and Leisure at Legal & General, said: “The Dolphin Cycle Hub is for everyone in our community, from shoppers to residents, workers, and retailers. At The Dolphin, we are committed to being environmentally responsible and are always looking for new ways to promote sustainable alternatives that have a positive impact in the community.

“We’re really pleased to be partnering with BCP Council on this project because The Dolphin Cycle Hub complements the work that is already being actioned in the locality to improve cycle routes and provide more sustainable travel options. Not only will the cycle hub make a significant difference to our local environment, it will also reduce congestion on our roads and boost wellbeing by encouraging people to get outside and move. We believe all initiatives which support wellbeing are vitally important, particularly at this time of year.”

Councillor Mike Greene, BCP Council’s portfolio holder for transport and sustainability, said:

“We’re delighted to have secured money from central government’s Active Travel Fund to invest in this innovative cycle storage facility at The Dolphin. 

“We know how important it is for people to have access to safe, reliable places to lock their bikes.  It’s an essential part of encouraging and enabling people to cycle to work, the shops, education or leisure.  We can’t wait for this fantastic new cycle hub to open and hope that it’s the first of several to be installed across the BCP Council region.  We look forward to as many people as possible using it.”  

The Dolphin Cycle Hub will offer a range of affordable and flexible storage pricing options from as little as £1 per day for Pay As You Go bookings, with cheaper options available for weekly and monthly memberships.

There will be a repair station and pump in the hub, as well as personal storage lockers. Electric charger points will also be available for members to use while storing their e-bikes.

This new opening complements a variety of new initiatives that have launched at The Dolphin over the past two years to re-frame and reimagine the shopping centre for the future, delivering a more diversified retail experience for residents and those visiting the town. The new line-up includes KINGLAND (a brand-new street dedicated to local, independent brands), The Dolphin Street Market, GATHER (a community events hub), a £1.3million adult learning facility, an NHS outpatient clinic and FOUNDRY, a cutting edge co-working space that is due to open later this year.

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