photo: https://help.g2rail.com/cs/stations/tullnerfeld-hbf/Tullnerfeld station introduces a new digital barrier system for cyclists
Merokey has unveiled an innovative bicycle barrier system that has become available to train passengers at Tullnerfeld Station. At this stage, the project is pilot and free of charge for users. In this way, the company wants to test the product and evaluate the reaction of cyclists.
As of 2020, there were around 18,000 bicycle thefts in Austria, which hurt the introduction of high-quality bicycles into everyday life. To address this problem, Merokey has developed a robust bike lock system with a high-strength composite torso that can be wrapped around the bike and its components (e.g., child seat, shopping basket, etc.). The system includes digital security sensors that sound an alarm in case of attempted theft and can alert both customers and security services in real-time. A web application is used to book a parking space and control the locks. The developer has also created a "Family Sharing" function that allows the control of a lock or transfer of the account to family members or friends.
Franz Hammerschmid, ÖBB's Head of Asset Management and Strategic Planning: "As Austria's No.1 climate protection company in the mobility sector, safety, flexibility, and an even greater range of services to make it easier to switch to public transport are very important to us. Safety is a key factor for high bike usage in public spaces. We, therefore, support this exciting pilot project to increase protection in public spaces and reduce bicycle thefts."
Mobility Provincial Councilor Ludwig Schleritzko commented, "With these new, innovative bicycle barrier systems, we are making it possible for commuters to make their journey from home to the train station even more convenient and, above all, even safer. As the province of Lower Austria, the mobility mix, i.e., the linking of different means of transport, is of great concern to us. Commuting to the station by bike and from there to the workplace by public transport is now even easier thanks to systems like these."
ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG, the province of Lower Austria, and the municipalities of Jüdenau, Langenrohr, and Michelhausen (JLM GmbH) have financed the construction of a bicycle barrier system.