About 400 bicycles collected from closed bicycle shed in Utrecht

Around 400 bicycles were collected from the bicycle shed on Jaarbeursplein in Utrecht on Friday, according to a spokeswoman for the city council. The storage facility at Utrecht Centraal station has been closed for a week because cracks were discovered in the construction.

Due to the closure, bike owners have been unable to access their bikes in recent days. After research and consultation with the constructor of the facility, it was concluded that it can be opened "safely and without risk" for users to pick up the bicycles "in small groups and under supervision", the municipality of Utrecht reported on Thursday.

Friday was the first day people could pick up their bikes again. This is planned until Monday with a maximum of ten people at a time. Apart from the pick-up times on the four days, the facility will remain "temporarily closed" pending further research.

According to the spokeswoman, there was a small line at the parking facility on Friday at the beginning, but then everyone could "just walk through". According to the spokeswoman, there are still about a thousand bicycles in the parking facility, which normally has room for 4,200 bicycles.

Bikes that have not been picked up after Monday 8 p.m. will be taken to a location elsewhere in Utrecht and can be picked up there. Anyone who has incurred costs in replacement transport in the past few days due to missing their bike can have them compensated by contacting the NS, according to the municipality.