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Meadowhall Cycle Lockers
I like using a bicycle to get around. Its my primary form of
transport these days. Its quick, cheap, and practical (most of
the time). When using a bicycle as your everyday transport, you
get the issue of parking. You have to leave your bike somewhere
secure while you go to the shops. This could mean carrying large
D-locks or cable locks with you. Then when you've parked up, you
have to carry your helmet and other 'nickables' (lights, saddle
bag, panniers, etc), round the shops. Then on your way back, you
have to carry both your shopping AND your locks.
Fortunately, a way round this is to provide 'cycle lockers' for
customers. These are small metal sheds, into which you can put
your bicycle, helmet, bags, etc, and lock it with a single
padlock. Opinion is divided on how secure/useful they are; some
people prefer the traditional method of securing a bicycle (as
above), but I, like many others, like the lockers, especially if
I have lots to carry, such as when shopping.
Meadowhall Centre is a large shopping centre in Sheffield. It
is situated near the Sheffield & Tinsley Canal and the Trans
Pennine Trail, so it is very easy to access by bicycle, as you
have a choice of road, trail or canal path.
Fortunately Meadowhall is one place that provides cycle
lockers. Unfortunately, there are only six. For the whole place.
When I go to Meadowhall, I normally manage to get a locker, but
as can be seen in the photo above, on this occasion, I took the
last one. Normally at least a few are in use, so this is a very
popular facility.
Its good that they provide lockers, even if they are a bit
flimsy and there aren't many. So why is this in the Crap
Customer Service section of this website?
The Correspondence
Given Meadowhall's location and their commitment to the
environment, I thought they might have tried to improve/expand
this facility. So I wrote to their management in February 2015
to explain how useful they are and to ask if they had any plans
to get more lockers. I reckon it would be in their interests to
do so.
I was pleased to receive a prompt response from them saying
that they are pleased that they are getting so much use. Their
letter said that they are getting new lockers and facilities 'early
next year'. I was excited to read this.
This was in early 2015, so early next year
would mean early 2016. It is now early 2017 and
no improvements have been made. The same six lockers are still
there, with the same worn out bolts.
Will they ever get round to making improvements?
Here is my letter and their response.
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