Bike "parking lots" planned for Budapest

Budapest's local government is planning to equip area metro and HÉV (commuter rail) stations with "parking lots" for bicycles, reports tabloid Blikk. Following the example of the "park and ride" (P+R) parking lots put in place for automobiles, the "B+R parking lots" would make it possible to reach metro or HÉV lines by bicycle and continue the journey via public transport.

According to Hungarian Bicycle Club (Magyar Kerékpáros Klub) chairman János László, the bike parking spaces could end up being as popular in Budapest as in some other large cities in Europe, where virtually every metro station is equipped with organized facilities for storing bicycles. Lászlo added that success for such a project in Budapest would depend on commuters feeling secure in parking their bicycles.

Meanwhile, the idea neatly suits plans by public transport operator BKV Rt to cut certain services, especially the frequency of buses that "feed" metro and HÉV lines. As a result, some believe that the "B+R" lots could provide "cover" for the BKV when announcing such cutbacks.

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