A railway carriage that was a centre for hiring bicycles on Stratford Greenway near Stratford-on-Avon has been closed and is being removed today, Friday, 26 April.

Heavy construction equipment will be used to remove the railway carriage, which will require that public access to that part of Stratford Greenway will be restricted at various times throughout the day.

Anyone planning to visit Stratford Greenway while the carriage is being removed should pay attention to safety signage and take instructions from the removal contractors.

The carriage to be removed is located next to the carriage occupied by Bobby’s café, which will remain in place and continue to operate. Its removal has been necessitated by the need to create space for a new bicycle hire company.

The new company will offer visitors to Stratford Greenway a variety of different bikes and carts and also operate at regular opening hours according to seasonal demand.

Warwickshire County Council’s Country Parks service has yet to reach a final agreement on the details with the new business, but they are expected to be finalised within the next few weeks. Once an agreement has been reached, Warwickshire County Council’s Country Parks service will make further information available to the public.

The carriage used by Stratford Greenway Bike Hire has been there for 15 years, and hired out Pashley bicycles, disabled bicycles, and tricycles to visitors to the Greenway.

Information about Stratford Greenway and other Country Parks in Warwickshire can be found online at countryparks.warwickshire.gov.uk/news.

During the Commonwealth Games held in 2022 in nearby Birmingham, the provision of bicycle hire was a great success, while a number of train operators teamed up with hire shops to offer discounts on hiring bicycles.

We are sad to say goodbye to the carriage that has housed the Stratford Bike Hire for many years and would like to say thank you to its former operator who has worked hard providing a valued service to our visitors.

We are, however, very excited to introduce the new bike hire company to Stratford’s residents and visitors; we are confident this offer will support our sustainable travel objectives and help people enjoy Stratford and the surrounding areas in a way that will benefit their mental and physical health and wellbeing.

Thank you in advance for your co-operation in keeping clear of the works as the old carriage is removed and please stay tuned for further updates on the new venture!”

Councillor Jan Matecki, Portfolio Holder for Transport and Planning at Warwickshire County Council