Cycle Hire Docking Station Fabrication for West Midlands Combined Authority
The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) launched a regional cycle hire scheme, delivered in conjunction with Serco and Pashley Cycles. Universal Fabrications manufactured the docking stations and associated street furniture, now installed at major transport hubs and city centres across the region. With over 45 years’ experience manufacturing complex metal fabrications for infrastructure, transport and defence, we were well placed to deliver durable, public-facing products at scale.
The Challenge
Docking stations are installed in busy public spaces, so they have to be robust, weather-resistant and able to cope with constant daily use. They also had to be consistent across Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Wolverhampton and Walsall. Every station had to look and work the same for users, with bikes supplied by Pashley Cycles, docking stations manufactured by Universal Fabrications and installation delivered by Serco.
Universal Fabrications’ Role
We manufactured the docking stations and street furniture using our in-house sheet metal fabrication capability, where they were laser cut, press brake formed, welded and assembled, at our 40,000 sq ft Nuneaton facility. All of the docking stations were MIG welded by our BS EN ISO 9606-1 coded welders, underpinned by our BS EN ISO 3834-2 welding capabilities and ISO 9001 quality standards, before being galvanised or powder coated. This ensured all 3000 units were built to the same standard ready for on time installation across the region.
Why It Mattered
The scheme supports active travel, reduces car use for short journeys and contributes to the region’s #WM2041 net zero-carbon target. At the time of reporting, more than 14,000 people had already tried the bikes. For WMCA and its partners, it meant a local manufacturer able to deliver consistent, durable infrastructure for a high-profile public project.
“It is incredibly exciting to launch our cycle hire scheme in Birmingham, and I know riders across the city have been itching to get out and try our bikes. Not only is cycling brilliant for people’s fitness and physical health, but it also helps reduce the number of cars on the road, helping us to tackle congestion, air pollution, and the climate emergency we are all facing.”
Andy Street, then Mayor of the West Midlands, at the scheme’s launch
It’s the same approach we bring to all our projects: getting the engineering right early so production and installation run smoothly.
Have a street furniture or infrastructure fabrication project? Call 02476 370272 or email email@universalfabrications.com.
Speak to a Manufacturing Specialist today. Call 02476 370 272 or send us an email.
