As temperatures drop and the UK braces for wetter, darker commutes, businesses and schools that provide covered bike storage see a clear gain: more people cycle, equipment lasts longer, and sites stay tidier and safer. If your estate already includes assets like smoking shelters, adding a cycle shelter is a logical, low-disruption upgrade that supports active travel and sustainability goals.
Below are the five most compelling reasons to install a bike shelter before winter, plus practical pointers drawn from current UK guidance.
1) Protect bikes (and your site) from winter weather
Rain, frost and road salt accelerate wear on chains, cassettes, cables and frames. A covered, secure cycle shelter keeps bikes drier, reduces corrosion risk and extends component life, especially important when riders are travelling in the dark and wet more often. UK cycling organisations consistently advise keeping bikes under cover through winter to prevent rust and aluminium corrosion and to reduce maintenance costs. Providing a sheltered parking area at the workplace or campus makes that best practice possible for your riders every day.
2) Boost staff uptake of cycling and wellbeing
If you want more people to commute by bike, start with better bike parking. SUSTRANS highlights that providing effective cycle storage at work is a highly practical way to encourage active travel, which in turn supports healthier, happier teams. Pairing a new shelter with clear wayfinding and lighting can nudge fence-sitters to try cycling even as the days get shorter. For employers, it’s an easy win that complements the Cycle to Work scheme (see Reason 3), supporting physical activity and reducing car-parking pressure on site.
3) Make the most of the Cycle to Work scheme
A cycle shelter is the perfect companion to the government-backed Cycle to Work scheme. The scheme allows employers to provide bikes and equipment via salary sacrifice with tax and National Insurance savings; it’s designed specifically to encourage commuting by bike. When employees know there’s secure, covered cycle parking waiting for them, uptake of the scheme and long-term cycling habits both improve. Consider announcing your new shelter alongside a Cycle to Work refresh in internal comms.
4) Align with UK design guidance and sustainability frameworks
Good cycle parking isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s embedded in current guidance:
- LTN 1/20 (Cycle Infrastructure Design): Chapter 11 covers cycle parking principles such as accessibility, security and weather protection, useful when selecting stands, spacing and shelter layout.
- Active Travel England signposts best practice and tools aligned to LTN 1/20, helping clients and design teams assess suitable cycle parking in the public realm.
- BREEAM: Many new and refurbished projects target credits for compliant cycle storage and cyclist facilities; installing a shelter that meets spacing, security and weather-protection requirements can contribute to these credits.
- Sustrans & Cycling Scotland guidance also emphasise robust, damage-resistant structures, inclusive access and lockable compounds where appropriate key features of modern cycle shelters.
By acting before winter, estates teams can specify and install LTN 1/20-aligned cycle shelters in time for the high-rainfall months and the January “fresh start” rush, strengthening sustainability credentials while meeting user needs.
5) Reduce clutter, slips and site maintenance
Without a dedicated, weather-proofed area, bikes end up chained to fences, railings and street furniture, creating trip risks, blocking access routes and scuffing finishes. A well-positioned cycle shelter concentrates parking in a safe, visible zone, supports two-point locking on Sheffield stands, and keeps water off main walkways. In winter, that translates to cleaner entrances, fewer puddles and less time spent managing ad-hoc bike storage. Specifying anti-slip surfacing at approaches and good lighting further improves safety and user confidence.
What to specify for a winter-ready cycle shelter
- Cover & drainage: Choose a canopy and cladding that shields from prevailing wind/rain and channels runoff away from pedestrian routes.
- Security: Opt for open sightlines plus two-point locking stands; consider lockable compounds where long-stay cycles are left. Secured by Design resources can guide security-minded layouts.
- Spacing & inclusivity: Follow LTN 1/20 clearances for access aisles and stands; include spaces suitable for non-standard cycles (cargo, trikes, adapted cycles).
- Durability: Galvanised or powder-coated steel with anti-corrosion treatment; UV-stable glazing panels to maintain clarity and longevity. Guidance notes emphasise robust, vandal-resistant construction.
- Lighting & CCTV: Dusk-to-dawn lighting and passive surveillance improve comfort and reduce theft risk.
- Wayfinding: Clear signage from site entrances; mark routes that avoid conflicts with vehicles and pedestrians.
- Futureproofing: Use modular bays so you can expand capacity as cycling grows.
Where to place your shelter (quick wins before winter)
- Closest practical way to building entrances to reduce exposure in bad weather.
- On the “dry” side of the building, screen from prevailing winds and driving rain.
- Away from delivery yards and vehicle conflict points.
- Near showers/lockers if your building has them; proximity improves uptake (and can support BREEAM user facilities).
Implementation timeline (why acting now matters)
- Week 1–2: Site survey & design check clearances, utility routes, falls/drainage, lighting and CCTV coverage.
- Week 3–4: Approvals & order confirm LTN 1/20-aligned layout, finishes and branding; place order.
- Week 5–8: Groundworks & delivery prepare pads/sub-base, install anchors/concrete; shelters are typically modular for quick install.
- Week 9+ Install & launch add signage, update travel plan, and promote via Cycle to Work comms.
Completing this before heavy rain and gritters arrive means your riders start the season with secure, dry parking, minimising corrosion and maximising confidence.
Final thought
Installing a bike shelter before winter is a small project with an outsized impact: better user experience in bad weather, healthier teams, tidier sites and stronger compliance with UK guidance. If you already trust Tamstar for smoking shelters and other outdoor infrastructure, a winter-ready cycle shelter is the next smart step.
Sources & guidance
- Department for Transport, LTN 1/20 Cycle Infrastructure Design (cycle parking principles). GOV.UK
- Active Travel England: cycle parking in the public realm (signposts to LTN 1/20). activetravelengland.gov.uk
- Sustrans: improving bike storage at workplaces (practical employer guidance). Sustrans
- BREEAM knowledge base on cyclist facilities and storage credits. kb.breeam.comDesigning Buildings
- Cycling UK: winter advice—keep bikes indoors/under cover to avoid rust and corrosion. Cycling UK
- HMRC/GOV.UK: Cycle to Work scheme employer guidance and benefits. GOV.UKGOV.UK