Ride and ride: TTC making it easier for cyclists

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Forget park and ride: The TTC wants to make it easier for cyclists to ride and ride, so they’re installing bike repair equipment at 10 subway stations.

Tools will include wrenches, Allen keys, screw drivers, a bike pump and a wheel chock. The equipment will be locked down with steel cables.

TTC Chair Josh Colle was at Davisville Station on Tuesday morning to make the announcement. He said he’d like to see the program expanded to all stations.

For now, it’s a one-year pilot program. The program will let cyclists perform minor repairs at Bathurst, Downsview, Dupont, Finch, Keele, Kennedy, Kipling, Pape and Spadina stations.

The stations were chosen because of existing bike parking, number of bike trips taken in the surrounding area, bike routes and trails in the neighbourhood, and the physical space at the station, the TTC said.

All 10 bike repair stops will be in place by the end of September.

The initiative drew praise from Cycle Toronto.

“Like driving a car, regular maintenance is an important part of bicycle riding,” Cycle Toronto executive director Jared Kolb said.

“By placing bicycle repair stations at 10 TTC subway stations across Toronto, we’re further integrating cycling and transit together which enables more people to ride more often.”

Encouraging cycling is part of the TTC’s customer charter. The bike repair stations are just the latest step, the TTC said.

There are already bike racks on all TTC buses. New accessible streetcars include two interior spaces for bikes, and new easier access fare gates make it easier to enter and exit subway stations, the TTC said.

There is also increased bike parking at or near subway stations, bike lockers at or near seven subway stations, and retrofitted staircases at Pape and Dufferin stations with customized bike channels.

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