In 2002 Fietsberaad received signals that the increase in numbers of unguarded parked bicycles at some central train stations was very large; exceeding the increase in numbers of train passengers and the increase ProRail had prognosticated. The results of a preliminary study confirm these signals.
Groen Licht Verkeersadviezen has conducted the study at Den Haag Centraal, Utrecht Centraal, Nijmegen, Leiden Centraal, Delft, Maastricht, Tilburg, Eindhoven and Groningen train stations. For each location counts of the numbers of unguarded parked bicycles have been collected for the period 1997-2002 as well as data on the most important factors that might provide an explanation for this growth. At all nine train stations the number of unguarded parked bicycles proves to have grown over this five-year period. This increase, an average of 43% , ranges from considerable (20% in Delft) to extreme (70% in Nijmegen). Possible explanations are provided.