A new optical illusion showing what London could look like if fewer cars were on the road has launched in the city as a new report highlights the city’s e-bike parking crisis.
With on-street car parking in London taking up the same space as 10 Hyde Parks, the mind-bending art installation will make passers-by think about what the city could look like if green transport was prioritised.
Commissioned by Lime and designed by street artists 3D Joe and Max, the art installation sees a non-ULEZ compliant 2007 Peugeot Boxer van with over 150,000 miles on the clock, magically transform into lush green space and bike parking as viewers walk past.
The three-day art installation was created in response to independent report by transport consultancy, Steer, and advised on by leading think-tank, Centre for London: ‘Changing Spaces: How to solve London’s shared e-bike parking.
The report recommends reallocating some of this space to cycle parking to help reduce car usage and encourage greener travel while also ensuring London’s streets are clear from carelessly parked bikes and obstructions. It also identifies over 750 new parking locations which could add over 10,500 additional rental e-bikes.
Each year 10 million emission-free journeys are missed because of a lack of parking for e-bikes, according to the new research. Meanwhile, half of the city’s air pollution comes from road traffic, according to Centre for London and Steer
Despite a significant uptick, with nearly half of Londoners (49%) between the ages of 18 and 34 using a rental e-bike at least once a week, people are still clinging on to their cars, which are taking up valuable space. One in three drivers (29%) have to leave their cars parked on the street when not in use, while more than a third (35%) admit hopping in the car for journeys under a mile.
Hal Stevenson, Director of Policy for UK&I at Lime, said: ‘Demand for cycling, including Lime e-bikes, has skyrocketed in the last year, with more people opting for emission-free travel. This growth has come with unintended challenges, and it’s become clear that lack of parking is leading to overcrowded areas that can become obstructive for pedestrians. The report by Steer and Centre for London makes a number of clear recommendations to address this, which Lime is committed to taking.
‘Our collaboration with 3D Joe & Max aims to bring these recommendations to life and inspire a healthier use for London’s parking spaces, where cars often sit idle for days. We’re encouraging people to reimagine how public space could be used and to take action to make our streets better for people and the planet. As green, shared transport flourishes, we need to redesign our streets in ways that further encourage this adoption, and disincentive car usage, to meet London’s ambitious climate targets.’
The ‘Changing Spaces’ art installation is available for the public to view in Camden between 29th-30th May at 17 Hawley Crescent in Camden from 10.30am – 5.00pm.
Those who support additional parking for bikes in London are encouraged to pledge their support for the campaign here.
