Council tags abandoned bikes on Disraeli Road, but bigger challenge remains

Wandsworth Council has tagged abandoned bikes on Disraeli Road for removal, ending months of visible neglect – but the bigger challenge of fixing or replacing failed infrastructure remains.

Removal tags appeared on Wednesday afternoon marking single wheels, chassis with missing wheels, and clearly abandoned bikes for removal on 21 January. Functional bikes were left untagged. The seven-day deadline – rather than the standard 14 – suggests the council knows these bikes have sat there far longer than any statutory period.

But reporting at the racks this week found the infrastructure has more fundamental problems. Half the rack capacity is unusable due to a design flaw that enables theft. A side business operator uses the racks for commercial storage. And actual legitimate commuter demand appears minimal.

Putney resident David emailed Putney.news last week saying the racks were “largely empty” with most bikes “unserviceable/vandalised/broken.” We inspected on 7 January, found only 10 serviceable bikes among 64 spaces, and contacted local councillors, who contacted the council. Tags appeared on Wednesday.

Commercial storage reveals empty capacity

Neil runs a bike repair side business, buying bikes, repairing them, and selling them online for a profit of between £30-60. He uses the Disraeli racks – and others across Putney and Wandsworth – as free storage for his inventory.

“I can always find space on these racks,” he said. “That’s why it’s one of my favourite spots.” He has four bikes stored at Disraeli, with another one or two by the library. He used to store them at home until his landlord objected. The covered design appeals because his bikes are sheltered from the elements while he waits for buyers on eBay.

But even Neil, who actively needs multiple spaces, won’t use half the racks because they only allow locking the front wheel. “These ones where you can only attach the front wheel – thieves come along with wrenches, take the whole bike away, leave the front wheel,” he explained. A bike’s value is in the frame and the gearing.

He sticks to the racks where he can secure both wheel and frame. It explains why so many stripped wheels appear throughout the racks.

A commuter picking up his bike after arriving from Waterloo said he uses the racks once or twice a week. “Quite useful,” he said. Between Neil’s commercial storage, the occasional commuter, and whatever other legitimate users exist, perhaps 10 spaces of the 64 available see regular use. Cyclists prefer to use the traditional Sheffield stands (the inverted ‘U’ in concrete) nearby even though they don’t have a weather cover.

Multiple problems revealed

Last week’s investigation prompted responses revealing the problems run deeper than abandoned bikes.

Cllr John Locker disclosed the oversized racks create a safety hazard for cyclists using the new contraflow cycle route. When cars queue at the junction, cyclists can’t navigate safely from Norroy Road across Putney High Street because the racks block the space they need. Council officers acknowledged this and “verbally assured” him they would fix it, but the reconfiguration hasn’t been scheduled.

Reader Lydia Tapping revealed she lost her 20-year-old bike from these racks in 2024, recently overhauled for £260. The design makes it impossible to secure both wheel and frame properly on the upper tier, and there’s no CCTV coverage despite the prominent location near the station.

Resident James Becker called for the racks to be dismantled entirely, noting traffic on Disraeli Road is “sometimes 20 cars deep,” and wants the road widened for a second lane turning into Putney High Street.

The bigger challenge

Tagging abandoned bikes addresses the immediate eyesore. The harder task is fixing infrastructure that simultaneously creates safety hazards for cyclists, enables theft through poor design, obstructs traffic flow, and serves minimal legitimate demand.

The racks were installed years ago when there was no space at Putney station, expecting to serve commuters. That never materialised. “Clearly it hasn’t attracted demand and has become rather tired and ugly,” Locker said. “I am sure a much smaller single-level rack will suffice.”

But this junction needs more than just smaller bike racks. Cyclists currently can’t use the contraflow route as designed – it’s not safe with cars queuing and racks blocking exit space. Drivers currently can’t turn left and are often limited turning right because of congestion.

When Putney.news walked Putney Bridge Junction with council officers last month, traffic officers suggested using Disraeli with Werter Road to ease congestion. This could be an opportunity for comprehensive improvements addressing both cycling safety and traffic flow simultaneously.

The February transport committee meeting provides a deadline. Once abandoned bikes are removed on 21 January, the council can assess actual demand and decide whether replacement, removal, or redesign makes sense – and whether junction improvements can solve multiple problems at once.

Wandsworth Council’s press office did not respond to questions about when the location was last inspected or whether the council has plans to address the infrastructure problems.

This story will be updated when (if) the council responds to questions about junction reconfiguration, CCTV provision, and plans for the racks.