New centre offers New Forest visitors best possible experience when hiring a bike

The new centre significantly improves the facilities on offer to visitors and residents hiring a bike to explore the National Park. This includes increased space, improved workshop and retail space, as well as toilets, showers and baby changing facilities.

Situated at Brockenhurst Railway Station, the centre is run by Cyclexperience and has been funded by the New Forest National Park Authority through a £150,000 grant from the Department for Transport’s Cycling Ambition Fund. This amount was matched by private investment.

As well as hiring a bike, visitors can also find out fascinating facts about the National Park, plan their trip using a giant wall map and get advice on how to care for the area when visiting.

This is a significant improvement on the previous hire centre, which was housed in shipping containers and had no power supply or running water. The removal of these containers will have the added benefit of freeing up an additional 20 car parking spaces for railway passengers.

New Forest National Park Authority Chairman Oliver Crosthwaite-Eyre, said: ‘The opening of this new facility is a welcome and important step towards our aim of encouraging more people to enjoy the Forest without a car.

‘As well as supporting new and existing jobs in the local economy, this centre will also provide visitors with a wealth of information about the area. This ensures that anyone hiring a bike is made aware that the New Forest is a unique landscape and that their actions can help to keep it special for future generations.’

Cycling Minister Andrew Jones said: ‘The Government is committed to doubling the number of people cycling by 2020, encouraging healthier lifestyles and improving the environment. The new cycling centre at Brockenhurst Station will help more people get on their bikes and enjoy the beautiful New Forest, helping boost tourism and the local economy.’

Ross Kempson co-director, Cyclexperience Limited said: ‘After 23 years operating from inadequate premises in the station car park, this new cycle centre will allow us to provide an even better service to people of all abilities looking to hire a bike to explore the New Forest.

‘We’re grateful to the New Forest National Park Authority for their support, which has been instrumental in ensuring this centre becomes a reality. We hope this will mean visitors from across the country and abroad decide to arrive in the National Park by train and hire a bike to explore.’

Chris Neill, Head of Customer Experience at South West Trains said, ‘We are delighted to have been able to support Cyclexperience and to assist with the new cycle hub. The new hub offers an improved facility to our customers whilst also releasing additional car parking spaces at the station. We hope it will provide our passengers and tourists with a great means of seeing Brockenhurst and the wider New Forest area.’

For more information on hiring bikes in the New Forest, as well as dozens of free routes to try for yourself, visitwww.newforestnpa.gov.uk/cycling