Insight
Councils can get public bike parking and e-bike charging for free
Advertising screens pay for Locky Dock stations, so councils get secure bike parking and e-bike charging without spending taxpayers' money.
Insight· 2 min read
How to pitch secure bike parking to a city council
Every new bike parking operator eventually sits across the table from a council. The question is the same everywhere. Why should the city back this?
Kirsten Corson, CEO of Locky Dock, works with councils across New Zealand. She has a clear answer, and it doesn't start with the product.
Why start with the rider's barrier?
"The majority of cyclists are worried about bike theft," Kirsten says. "When you survey, you look at international studies, look at New Zealand studies, they say the same thing. That is a massive barrier to the uptake of cycling."
Owners who don't trust where they would leave a bike may keep driving. An e-bike is a valuable machine, so the worry grows. Start the pitch with the barrier, not the station.
How do you connect it to the council's goals?
"City councils are looking to support public transport, they're looking to support cycling, looking to support mode shift," Kirsten continues. "So having a solution like the Bikeep stations that can support that shift is really appealing."
Secure parking supports the trips that other cycling spending is meant to create.
What does a pitch structure that works look like?
- The council's goal. Their own mode-shift or cycling targets, in their words.
- The barrier. Theft and lack of charging keep people off bikes.
- The fix. Secure, connected parking with e-bike charging at the places people go every day.
- The cost. In Locky Dock's advertising-funded model the stations cost the taxpayer nothing. See how councils get free public bike parking and e-bike charging.
- The proof. Every Bikeep station logs sessions, so usage data can be reported back to the council.
- The plan. A network of sites, not a single pilot.
What evidence should you bring?
- Local survey data on why residents don't cycle
- Examples from other councils. In Taupō the council describes its station as installed "at no expense to ratepayers." Hawke's Bay has six stations co-funded by central government, and Whakatāne has five sites funded by Trust Horizon. Locky Dock had 101 stations in New Zealand as of 2026.
- Stories that go beyond cyclists, such as the mobility scooter user in Whangārei
- The specific sites you propose, and why. Our piece on where to install public bike parking covers how to choose them.
What happens after the yes?
Launch loudly, measure usage from day one, and report back. The data from the first stations is what wins the next ones.
Councils weighing the wider picture can start with the Bikeep page for cities. Operators who want to take this pitch to councils in their own country can read about becoming a Bikeep partner.
Frequently asked questions
What is the strongest argument for a council?
Theft is a major barrier to cycling, and councils want more people cycling. Secure parking removes the barrier, which is why Kirsten leads with it.
Does the council have to pay?
Not in the Locky Dock model. Advertising on the station screens pays for the stations.
Should you pitch one station or many?
Pitch a network. A council can agree a set of sites across the city rather than a one-off pilot.
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