Achieving 'Behaviour Change' essentially comes down to making the desired behaviour an obvious and effortless (lazy) choice.
Lambeth Council's website included the fact that secure temporary cycle parking would be provided at this year's Country Show, and today a couple came over to the Lambeth Cyclists' stand and said they'd decided to come by bike having been reassured about the cycle parking. That's brilliant.
I was pleased because I'd recommended installing additional temporary parking after last year's event. It's the sort of thing that makes sense to do if, as Lambeth Council were advertising at the event, you want cycling to be normal for everyone.
Isn't that a great message to put out.
But I was puzzled because, despite knowing it would be present, I hadn't spotted the parking via the Lido entrance though the usual racks were full. Nor had I noticed the temporary cycle parking at the Herne Hill entrance below.
There were no signs advertising secure cycle parking at the entrance, above, but to the left the normal bike racks were full as were the adjacent railings
To the right of the entrance the railings were almost full
In front, the tree supports were full (by a convenient location for temporary cycle parking)
So I went into the park and asked at the information tent just by the entrance (next to a prominent and convenient place to put temporary cycle parking)
and the helpful volunteer referred to his map and pointed me several hundred metres along the path away from the Lido or Herne Hill entrance to a minor entrance. Unsurprisingly when I got there the parking was under-occupied
Lambeth's Safer Transport Team were on hand in force to offer free cycle security marking to the handful of people who found the cycle parking
I retraced my steps to the entrance and there, on the way out, I spotted a sign (below right) advertising the cycle parking.
It would be great if Lambeth can continue with the temporary additional parking next year, but it needs to be located by the entrance(s) so obviously that no signage is needed.
A further improvement would be for the No Entry signs, used to restrict motor traffic in Railton Road for the event, to have 'except cycles' added.
