Wednesday May 6th 2026
New Bikehangar at Jarnac Court, Dalkeith
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
Midlothian Council has started a new trial, introducing four secure cycle parking areas in various locations across the county.
Working in partnership with Cyclehoop, who has the largest network of ‘Bikehangars’ in the world, Midlothian Council have introduced these secure bike storage hangars at Jarnac Court in Dalkeith, Lasswade Leisure Centre, Penicuik Precinct and Sheriffhall Park & Ride.
Made possible by a People and Place grant, funded by the Scottish Government, the programme aims to support behaviour-change projects that help people choose active or sustainable travel over car use. The scheme contributes directly to three of the four objectives in the council’s Regional Transport Strategy.
The grant is administered by the South East of Scotland Regional Transport Partnership (SEStran) on behalf of the Scottish Government.
Bikehangars provide weatherproof spaces for bicycles, protecting them from theft and damage. They are designed and tested to deliver a high standard of security for on‑street cycle parking and hold a ‘Sold Secure Powered Cycle Diamond Accreditation’ – the highest possible rating for cycle storage.
To use the service, a small fee is charged to the user to park in the unit. The council has explained that this fee goes ‘directly towards maintenance and upkeep of the bikehangars’.
Pricing will start at £0.50 for up to 2 hours, £1.00 for up to 6 hours, £2.00 for up to 12 hours, £3.00 for up to 18 hours, and £4.00 for up to 24 hours.
Anyone wanting to use the Bikehangers just needs to download the free Cyclehoop App from the App Store or Google Play. Spaces can be rented on a flexible, on‑demand basis by creating an account which will allow users to locate spaces and make payments.
Benefits of the hangars include convenient short-term parking, designed to support increased footfall in local areas by reducing car usage which is a common goal in Midlothian town centres. Research shows that people who walk or cycle to a destination spend more in local shops than those who drive.
Anthony Lau, Founder and Design Director at Cyclehoop said:
“It’s great to see Midlothian Council looking at ways in which secure cycle parking can be used to enable modal shift for people across the county at very different locations. Understanding where cycle parking can provide the best value for residents is important and we’re looking forward to working closely with the council to ensure that the service delivers the right solution to enable more people to cycle.”
The facility at Penicuik Precinct differs from the rest, offering a ‘cycle hub’ alongside the storage facility.
This hub offers storage alongside a bike repair station, seating and planters. It has been designed with the aims to ‘improve local active travel facilities and enhance the public space’, creating an inviting area for people to meet and spend time.
As part of the funding criteria and priority interventions set for local authorities, the Active Travel Team identified Penicuik as a suitable location for a small-scale cycle hub. Early discussions with Penicuik First CIC, the community interest company representing independent shops within the Precinct, initially focused on the need for covered cycle storage. This quickly evolved into a pilot project – a first for Midlothian to deliver a compact cycle hub and modal hub in a prominent town centre location.
Oliver Caron-Nowak, Active Travel Officer at Midlothian Council and project lead, said:
“We hope these facilities will become a well‑loved and well‑used community asset, and we look forward to expanding similar projects to other towns across Midlothian.
“Thank you to Penicuik First CIC, Penicuik District Community Council, and Penicuik Guerrilla Gardeners for their support with this project to enhance the precinct.”
The council also explained that this hub will be replicated in other towns as they hope Penicuik’s will prove successful.
Penicuik Precinct is a pedestrianised street where cycling is not permitted so cyclists are reminded by new signage to dismount and walk their cycles within the Precinct.
SEStran Partnership Director, Brian Butler, said:
“We are delighted that People and Place funding is supporting new public cycle storage units across Midlothian. Our People and Place grants aim to help more people walk, wheel and cycle, and secure bike storage is an important part of making that possible. We are looking forward to hearing how these new units support local journeys and encourage more people to choose active travel.”
The decision regarding locations and pricing was largely based on the results of Midlothian Council’s Secure Cycle Storage Survey carried out between May 27 – June 27 last year, which can be viewed here.
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