CYCLE parking spaces at Woking railway station have been doubled to more than 500 with the opening of a new storage shelter.

Commuters can now leave their bikes in the state-of-art ‘hub’, which cost £475,000 and is watched over around the clock by security cameras.

It also features free use of an air pump and maintenance tools, plus an information screen for travellers to check if their train is on time.

The shelter was officially opened on Tuesday last week by Transport Minister Andrew Jones, along with Jacqueline Starr, Managing Director of customer experience at the Rail Delivery Group, and Alistair Wright, South West Trains’ head of station property.

The second cycle hub to be built at Woking station is part of a £3.8 million investment which has paid for 1,400 extra cycling spaces at 36 stations across the South West Trains network.

The new shelter was built in partnership between the Department for Transport, Rail Delivery Group, Woking Borough Council, Surrey County Council and South West Trains.

Mr Jones said: “We want to make cycling part of everyday life. By the end of next year, we will have spent almost £30 million on trebling the number of cycling spaces at railway stations since 2010.

“These facilities will help give commuters the incentive to leave their cars at home, jump on their bikes, use sustainable transport and enjoy the health benefits."

Ms Starr added: “Better facilities for cyclists at stations and on trains have led to record numbers of people getting on their bikes as part of their rail journeys.

“There were 50 million cycle-rail trips last year across Britain. There are more cycle spaces at railway stations than ever before, with the total set to rise to 75,000 by next year.”