Tallinn's train stations missing bicycle parking lots
People who use both trains and bicycles to move around could make use of bicycle parking lots in train stations, but there are very few of those in Tallinn. The city says they cannot develop parking lots for bicycles because the train stations belong to Eesti Raudtee.
People taking trains often use bicycles as a means to get to the train station and leaving bicycles at the station would be a comfortable way of transportation. In many larger Tallinn train stations, such as Ülemiste, Kitseküla or Balti jaam, there is no option to do so, however, ETV's daily affairs show "Aktuaalne kaamera" reported on Sunday.
State railway company Eesti Raudtee's infrastructure director Kaido Aettik said they have always supported the idea of developing bicycle parking lots in train station.
"We have always been up for it. We are looking for solutions on making this possible and have always involved and welcomed initiatives from local municipalities, because they sense the needs of their community the most," Aettik said.
Tallinn city government told ERR that the land that train stations are on belongs to railway infrastructure company Eesti Raudtee, which means the city cannot develop any parking lots themselves.
Aettik said the local municipality must show interest for a parking lot to be developed, but Tallinn has not done so for their stations. He pointed out that bicycle parking lots have been constructed at Hiiu and Nõmme, however.
"The land does belong to Eesti Raudtee, true. We act on the basis of the right of superficies and for these parking spaces to be developed, the initiative must come from the local municipality. There are certain procedures behind this that we will then discuss with the local municipality," Aettik added.
A bicycle parking space is available at the train station in Keila, for example. Keila city government spokesperson Valdur Vacht said the demand for it was registered a long time ago and the parking spaces were added during the reconstruction of the station square.
"There was need for it for a long time, we just had to find a suitable moment and when the station was renovated, there was the option of adding a parking lot," Vacht said.
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Editor: Kristjan Kallaste