There must be a ban on parking bicycles in the entire core shopping area in Groningen: shopkeepers in the city centre that are affiliated with the Groningen City Club, argue in favour of this.
A large bicycle shed under the Groninger Forum is expected to open on November 27, with a following ban on parking bicycles in the Poelestraat and Peperstraat. These streets lead to the Grote Markt and are well known for their bars and cafes and are extremely popular for their nightlife.
However, some of the Groningen entrepreneurs believe the ban should be extended to the entire city centre, according to the Dagblad van het Noorden.
According to the Groningen City Club, the growing number of bicycles parked randomly in the shopping core of the city is causing more and more nuisance and, consequently, increasing annoyance for shopkeepers and their customers. Eric Bos, the chairman of the GCC, told the Dagblad van het Noorden that a gradual parking ban around the city centre would be a wise measure to take, while also opening bike parking facilities.
For instance, a planned shed for 1500 bikes near the Grote Markt and an upgraded parking garage on Pelsterstraat, near the Vismarkt, would make a possible ban on parking bicycles more convenient. In addition, the GCC is willing to support the ‘bicycle stewards’ system with people pointing out the new parking spots.
