A million pound bike shed used by commuters has fallen into a state of “disrepair” after being targeted by vandals.
The £1.1m Cycle Hub at Chatham Railway Station has been “bolted” and boarded up for almost three months.
It opened in June 2022 and has the capacity to hold up to 280 bikes with users paying a subscription fee to access it via a key fob.
The government had contributed £800,000 as part of its Cycle Rail grant programme, with a further £300,000 from Medway Council towards the forecourt improvements, which included plans to support the delivery of the cycle hub.
Previously, the station had just 30 spaces to park bicycles, but the new hub was fitted with two-tier racks to maximise the amount of spaces available.
James Ross, who lives in St Mary’s Island and has been using the facility for around three years, says the front door has been “bolted up” for around three months.
He added that the back door has also been missing for around two months.
James explained: “They put up some red and white tape over it, I’m not sure why because people still have to use it.
“I’ve also seen that there are around seven cut bike locks. I don’t know if people’s bikes have been stolen or not but it makes me not really want to leave mine in there.
“I’ve lost a bit of trust with it, as it doesn’t really feel safe to be leaving anything in there overnight. It’s in disrepair.”
Users must pay a subscription of £25 to access the hub for three months, £35 for six months, or £50 for 12 months.
The facility has electric bike charging points, a DIY repair stand with tools, a pump, and CCTV coverage.
It can usually be accessed 24/7 using a personalised key fob. Access for non-paying members of the public is not supposed to be possible, with key fobs only issued to subscribers at the station’s ticket office.
James, who cycles to the station before getting the train to London for work, added: “It’s not really expensive for what it is, but it is a paid service and ultimately it’s not there.
“I don’t mind paying it, that’s the whole point. But there’s no secure access in there at all at the moment.
“I’m still using it, but I don’t think I use it when I have to stay at work at night, I’ll probably get a taxi or something to station instead.
“The only access to it currently is to carry your bike up and down a steep staircase, which isn’t ideal”.
Southeastern delivered the project with support from Network Rail, Medway Council, and cycling charity Sustrans.
The idea was to help encourage sustainable, environmentally-friendly travel.
Southeastern has confirmed to KentOnline repairs are currently underway at the bike hub.
Head of facilities Peter Stapleton said: “We apologise to customers affected by the vandalism.
“We have been working to carry out repairs as quickly as possible, however, this has taken longer than expected as parts had to be ordered from specialist suppliers.
“We expect the front door to be completed today (July 15) and the back door by the end of next week.”
In March 2023, KentOnline reported how, despite having the capacity for almost 300 bikes, most days it only had around 10.
The hub is in Railway Street, opposite Wickes, but not immediately in view of the station, meaning many people are potentially not aware of its existence.
A Medway Council spokesperson said: “We contributed funding to the bike hub’s construction, alongside the Department for Transport, as part of wider support for sustainable transport and active travel in Medway.
“We understand Southeastern are looking into the required repairs and hope to see the hub open again soon.”
