Leeuwarden station struggling to keep bike parking under control

The municipality of Leeuwarden has announced that it will take additional measures discourage people from parking their bikes in front of the train station.

Translation by Traci White

Omrop Fryslân writes that the municipality is hoping the new steps, namely putting up more signs in the immediate vicinity of the train station informing that they cannot park there, will bring an end to the chaotic bike situation.

The square in front of the station and the surrounding streets have gotten a major facelift over the past year in light of the LF2018 Capital of Culture year, but the municipality is frustrated that parked bikes are cluttering up the space.

Bike parking garage

In December of 2017, the Leeuwarder Courant reported on the opening of a new parking garage at the station with room for 3,000 bikes and free parking for the first 24 hours. But cyclists are either unaware of the new parking space or are dissuaded by having to pay to park there for more than a day.

The situation was exacerbated this week by schools starting back – new students may be unaware of the efforts to discourage parking in front of the station – and the fact that the parking garage was inexplicably closed for several hours on Wednesday morning.