BBC Bike parking

I was invited to take part in a programme for BBC Radio 1 (2330 22 AUG 05)
and had to visit our brand spanking new BBC HQ in the centre of Hull to be
interviewed today. I did a reccy on Sunday to see what bike parking
facilities they had as I planned to cycle there after work.

Nothing was evident, so I decided to use the Sheffield Stands in the city
centre, leave the best bike at home and go back into town on the winter
bike. Talking to the chap who set up the ISDN to London, I asked where the
secure bike parking was. He replied that it was the poles outside and that
they were supposed to be getting some proper stands but the budget didn't
run to them.

Needless to say, there was a big underground car park with a pass operated
barrier and security guard. At least this anti-cycling policy isn't confined
to my own place of work!

--
Simon Mason
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net

Simon Mason came up with the following;:

Needless to say, there was a big underground car park with a pass operated
barrier and security guard. At least this anti-cycling policy isn't
confined to my own place of work!

I doubt it's an active anti-cycling policy at all. It's just that most
designers and managers in large companies simply don't use cycles so never
actually think of them or of providing facilities for them.

Ever.

--
Paul ...
(8(|) Homer Rules ..... Doh !!!

On 2005-08-02, Paul - xxx wrote:
Simon Mason came up with the following;:

Needless to say, there was a big underground car park with a pass operated
barrier and security guard. At least this anti-cycling policy isn't
confined to my own place of work!

I doubt it's an active anti-cycling policy at all. It's just that most
designers and managers in large companies simply don't use cycles so never
actually think of them or of providing facilities for them.

Ever.


According to the BBC's in-house magazine, the BBC spends 1 million
pounds a month on taxi fares. (Source: The Skeptic)


Anthony

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Anthony Campbell wrote:

According to the BBC's in-house magazine, the BBC spends 1 million
pounds a month on taxi fares. (Source: The Skeptic)

Probably for guests and celebs, though, rather than staff...?

--
jc

Remove the -not from email

in message , Anthony Campbell
') wrote:

On 2005-08-02, Paul - xxx wrote:
Simon Mason came up with the following;:

Needless to say, there was a big underground car park with a pass
operated barrier and security guard. At least this anti-cycling
policy isn't confined to my own place of work!

I doubt it's an active anti-cycling policy at all. It's just that
most designers and managers in large companies simply don't use cycles
so never actually think of them or of providing facilities for them.

According to the BBC's in-house magazine, the BBC spends 1 million
pounds a month on taxi fares. (Source: The Skeptic)

If so, a substantial amount of money could probably be saved by having
pool bikes at every major BBC centre, and /paying/ staff a quarter of
the taxi fare equivalent for every journey they make by bike rather than
taxi. Yup, OK, the pool bikes would get stolen from time to time and
need to be replaced, but it could still save into the hundreds of
thousands a year.

As a matter of interest, how are those 'phone up and go' hire bikes
surviving in London? Are they still in use, and do they get
vandalised/stolen excessively?

--
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On Wed, 03 Aug 2005 10:04:27 +0100 someone who may be Simon Brooke
wrote this:-

According to the BBC's in-house magazine, the BBC spends 1 million
pounds a month on taxi fares. (Source: The Skeptic)

If so, a substantial amount of money could probably be saved by having
pool bikes at every major BBC centre, and /paying/ staff a quarter of
the taxi fare equivalent for every journey they make by bike rather than
taxi.

The BBC are very taxi obsessed. Programme staff seem very surprised
if the offer of a "free" taxi is turned down and someone says they
will cycle or get the bus to the studio.


--
David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E
I will always explain revoked keys, unless the UK government
prevents me by using the RIP Act 2000.

David Hansen wrote:

The BBC are very taxi obsessed. Programme staff seem very surprised
if the offer of a "free" taxi is turned down and someone says they
will cycle or get the bus to the studio.



It's not just the Beeb. I do a spot on Channel 4 some lunchtimes, and
cycle the mile from office to the studio; twice in the past year a taxi
has turned up even though I specifically tell the booker that I won't
need one.

Cheers, James

On 3 Aug 2005 05:46:33 -0700 someone who may be "Shuggie"
wrote this:-

It's not just the Beeb. I do a spot on Channel 4 some lunchtimes, and
cycle the mile from office to the studio; twice in the past year a taxi
has turned up even though I specifically tell the booker that I won't
need one.

I would have thought that Jon Snow has trained them out of such
things.


--
David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E
I will always explain revoked keys, unless the UK government
prevents me by using the RIP Act 2000.

On 2005-08-02, Paul - xxx wrote:
Simon Mason came up with the following;:

Needless to say, there was a big underground car park with a pass operated
barrier and security guard. At least this anti-cycling policy isn't
confined to my own place of work!

I doubt it's an active anti-cycling policy at all. It's just that most
designers and managers in large companies simply don't use cycles so never
actually think of them or of providing facilities for them.

Ever.


As one who regularly works at the Beeb's facilities here in Manchester, I
can say that the underground car park hereabouts contains Sheffields in
quantity, along with showers and a changing room. Blame the Philharmonic,
some of whom take their cycling/juggling/rollerblading seriously!


On Wed, 03 Aug 2005 07:13:25 +0000, Anthony Campbell wrote:

According to the BBC's in-house magazine, the BBC spends 1 million
pounds a month on taxi fares. (Source: The Skeptic)


When I started there, 'free' taxis were only available to technical staff
if they were working late nights or early morning shifts outside public
transport hours. They were later withdrawn, and from the mid-nineties
taxis had to be paid in cash and the expenses reclaimed less tax.

What the current policy is, I don't know, as I'm no longer staff.

L

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On 3 Aug 2005 05:46:33 -0700, Shuggie wrote:

David Hansen wrote:

The BBC are very taxi obsessed. Programme staff seem very surprised
if the offer of a "free" taxi is turned down and someone says they
will cycle or get the bus to the studio.

It's not just the Beeb. I do a spot on Channel 4 some lunchtimes, and
cycle the mile from office to the studio; twice in the past year a taxi
has turned up even though I specifically tell the booker that I won't
need one.


In all fairness, could this tendency amongst broadcasting institutions stem
from a desire to keep people on schedule?

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