“Those are definitely middle aisle bike stands”: Cyclists raise security fears after discovering that new cycle stands at Aldi entrance can be lifted out of the ground

When supermarket chain Aldi opened its new store in Leamington Spa last September, local cyclists will have been pleased to learn that it came with brand new, covered cycle parking facilities, right outside the shop’s entrance.

However, earlier this week one resident noticed a fatal flaw in Aldi’s recently-installed Sheffield stands: they are easily lifted right out of the ground.

Posted in a local group, someone discovered that the new @AldiUK hadn’t actually secured their bike stands into the ground and they can just be lifted out pic.twitter.com/wA1UiaVWR4

— Claire Lucas (@profclairelucas) June 28, 2023

That particular defect, originally posted on a local Facebook group and shared on Twitter by Claire Lucas, has raised security concerns among cyclists using the supermarket, located at Leamington Shopping Park, and prompted criticism of Aldi’s approach to cyclists.

“Someone discovered that the new Aldi hadn’t actually secured their bike stands into the ground and they can just be lifted out,” wrote Claire.

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“Cyclists are customers too, and retailers can and should do better,” added one Twitter user, while David joked that “those are definitely Aldi middle aisle bike stands”.

West Midlands walking and cycling commissioner Adam Tranter, who praised the facilities last year as an example of how it is “possible for supermarkets to do cycle parking right”, also expressed disappointment at the pick-up-and-go bike stands, writing: “Argh! And I had such high hopes.”

What they’re supposed to look like (credit: Adam Tranter)

Opened at the end of September last year, the new Aldi in Leamington was designed to reduce carbon consumption, and features a ‘hard to recycle’ unit for shoppers as well as low temperature tarmac, solar panels, and electric vehicle charging points.

After raising the concerns of locals about the supermarket’s bike parking facilities, an Aldi spokesperson told road.cc that “the work to fix the bike stands in place was completed earlier this morning”.

The backlash over the removable bike stands isn’t the first time this month that Aldi has come in for criticism from cyclists.

> “It’s going to cause unspeakable damage”: Cycling campaign slams Aldi and council for putting cyclists and pedestrians in danger and “only thinking about drivers”

Last week, Norwich Cycling Campaign slammed the supermarket chain and Norfolk Council for opening a store in Longwater Retail Park which they argued could cause “unspeakable damage” due to its lack of safe cycling and pedestrian paths and crossings in place.

To cross over from Long Lane to William Frost Way, where the shop will open on 6 July, cyclists have to dismount and cross a 1.5-metre-wide footpath on the bridge over A47, next to a three-lane road with heavy traffic.

Derek Williams from the Norwich Cycling Campaign told road.cc: “The whole thing is really dangerous. There’s a school and a college nearby, this area is supposed to be a safe route for children and teenagers. But the council didn’t do any investigations, no public consultations.”

Even though a crossing on William Frost Way was agreed during the planning process, it is still absent just a week before the supermarket opens its doors, with Williams arguing that Aldi is “trying to avoid their obligation” to build it.

An Aldi spokesperson told road.cc: “We are looking forward to opening our new store on July 6, and are working with both the local authority and the developer of a local housing scheme to jointly deliver the new crossing on William Frost Way as soon as possible.”