Twenty six new bike stands have been installed as part of a scheme to attract more cycling in Deal.

The coated metal railings have been put at 11 different sites across Deal and Walmer thanks to funding from the Government’s Coastal Community Fund.

It is part of the Deal Town Council’s Cycle Friendly Deal project and the insight into where they should be put came from a 2019 review into cycle parking in the area which bike riders contributed their opinions towards.

Cycle Friendly Deal project co-ordinator Adrian Oliver said: "This gave an accurate picture of the location and capacity for cycle parking and where people required more parking.

The town council then worked with officers from land-owning authorities Dover District Council and Kent County Council to create a final list of all the new locations.

New Cycle Stands have now been installed from Sandown Castle in North Deal through to The Strand in Walmer.

Mr Oliver added: "The style was carefully selected. The M-Hoop Cycle Stand promotes secure locking, helps keep bikes upright, enables a wider range of bicycle styles to be locked securely and the stands are coated to protect against the weather and avoid scratching frames.

"They have been supplied by Kent-based Cyclepods and installed by a local Kent Highways contractor!

Cllr Sue Beer (pictured) is lead councillor on the project. She said: "It is good to know that Deal is even better placed now to welcome cyclists to the town.”

“Cycling visitors spend money in the town without having a damaging effect on the environment.

"If more local people choose to leave their cars at home and cycle - parking in our new stands - that will be even better.

“The Cycle Friendly Deal project is working to make our town attractive for family and occasional cyclists as well as serious cyclists,” said Eileen Rowbotham, Mayor of Deal.

“These new visitors will make a very welcome contribution to our local tourism and hospitality industry.”

“When the Cycle Friendly Deal project was set up we counted 202 cycle parking spaces”, said council officer Adrian Oliver. “But there were still not enough for peak periods and some of them were not in the places where people wanted to park. Hence this new set of stands providing an additional 52 parking spaces, with the best design stand, now in the best places.”

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