In the Netherlands cyclists benefit from wide, protected bicycle paths and special traffic lights. However, finding parking space for thousands of bicycles can cause difficulty. At the station of Utrecht (the Netherlands) an underground bicycle park will soon be created as a solution to this problem.

With this new underground car park, the city of Utrecht wants to calm the situation in the station square, which is currently being redesigned. Utrecht is not only a student centre, but also a major traffic hub in the country.

The underground bike park will have space for 12,500 bicycles spread over three floors. In the last years, several guarded parking lots have been built in the Netherlands, which have proved unsuccessful due to their cost. As Wim Bot, from the Dutch Cyclist's Federation, commented: "Our cyclists are simply not used to paying for parking".

As far as Utrecht and the world's largest bicycle garage are concerned, they have found a compromise: the first 24 hours cost nothing. This way the people who ride to the station and then take the train to work can leave their bikes safely.

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