Cycling in Melbourne Australia
Media: "Public bikes popular, till wheels fall off"
Article in the Age:
http://www.theage.com.au/national/public-bikes-popular-till-wheels-...
"Public bikes popular, till wheels fall off
* Clay Lucas
* March 13, 2009
Map of possible bike stations.
Map of possible bike stations.
ALMOST one in five bicycles would be stolen or vandalised under a $5 million State Government public bike scheme for the city centre, documents obtained under freedom-of-information laws say.
Automated public bicycle schemes have become popular in several European cities. The biggest is in Paris, where, since 2007, there have been 16,000 bicycles available free for the first half-hour of use.
But more than half of the bikes in the Parisian scheme were either stolen or badly damaged in the first year.
The Victorian Government has pledged to deliver a similar scheme in Melbourne.
But a cabinet submission by the Transport Department reveals concerns about theft and vandalism.
The department expects 15 per cent of the bikes would be lost each year. It is also concerned about how the bicycle-hire scheme would be financed. Those in Europe are mostly financed by outdoor advertising companies such as JCDecaux. The company recently signed a contract with Dublin City Council to supply 450 bicycles for free use by the public. In return, JCDecaux gets 72 advertising boards, worth $A2 million a year.
Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said he supported the public bike scheme, but not "obtrusive advertising cluttering up" streets.
The Transport Department would not say how it would fund the scheme.
The FoI documents show the bikes will be introduced by early next year. Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky wants the scheme pushed through as soon as possible, the documents show.
A handwritten note by Ms Kosky on one briefing paper says: "In light of recent attention/criticism of preventing bikes on trains in peak hour, it is important we move quickly on this. Ta, L."
Six hundred bicycles would be installed at 52 stations around Melbourne. Bikes would be free for 30 minutes, then $1 for the first hour.
Vehicle speed limits would need to be reduced from 50 km/h to 30 km/h, a report for the Government by engineers SKM recommends. "Reducing the speed limit will lead to very significant reductions in casualty accidents between vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians," it says.
In 2006, the council asked VicRoads to reduce road speeds to a blanket 40 km/h. VicRoads refused.
Victorian Roads Minister Tim Pallas, who stopped a 2007 council proposal for safer bike lanes on St Kilda Road, said yesterday he would not reduce speed limits in the city centre.
A Transport Department spokeswoman said a tender for the bike hire scheme would be released shortly."
http://www.theage.com.au/national/public-bikes-popular-till-wheels-...
"Public bikes popular, till wheels fall off
* Clay Lucas
* March 13, 2009
Map of possible bike stations.
Map of possible bike stations.
ALMOST one in five bicycles would be stolen or vandalised under a $5 million State Government public bike scheme for the city centre, documents obtained under freedom-of-information laws say.
Automated public bicycle schemes have become popular in several European cities. The biggest is in Paris, where, since 2007, there have been 16,000 bicycles available free for the first half-hour of use.
But more than half of the bikes in the Parisian scheme were either stolen or badly damaged in the first year.
The Victorian Government has pledged to deliver a similar scheme in Melbourne.
But a cabinet submission by the Transport Department reveals concerns about theft and vandalism.
The department expects 15 per cent of the bikes would be lost each year. It is also concerned about how the bicycle-hire scheme would be financed. Those in Europe are mostly financed by outdoor advertising companies such as JCDecaux. The company recently signed a contract with Dublin City Council to supply 450 bicycles for free use by the public. In return, JCDecaux gets 72 advertising boards, worth $A2 million a year.
Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said he supported the public bike scheme, but not "obtrusive advertising cluttering up" streets.
The Transport Department would not say how it would fund the scheme.
The FoI documents show the bikes will be introduced by early next year. Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky wants the scheme pushed through as soon as possible, the documents show.
A handwritten note by Ms Kosky on one briefing paper says: "In light of recent attention/criticism of preventing bikes on trains in peak hour, it is important we move quickly on this. Ta, L."
Six hundred bicycles would be installed at 52 stations around Melbourne. Bikes would be free for 30 minutes, then $1 for the first hour.
Vehicle speed limits would need to be reduced from 50 km/h to 30 km/h, a report for the Government by engineers SKM recommends. "Reducing the speed limit will lead to very significant reductions in casualty accidents between vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians," it says.
In 2006, the council asked VicRoads to reduce road speeds to a blanket 40 km/h. VicRoads refused.
Victorian Roads Minister Tim Pallas, who stopped a 2007 council proposal for safer bike lanes on St Kilda Road, said yesterday he would not reduce speed limits in the city centre.
A Transport Department spokeswoman said a tender for the bike hire scheme would be released shortly."
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Cory on -
Does anyone else fail to see the problem with this?
If JCDecaux (who already have all of the bus/tram stations anyway) are footing the bill for them, and they get more advertising about the place, who cares?
(Altho... I still think the helmet laws will be a major issue with uptake, but that's another issue).
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Permalink Reply by ChrisS on -
Thought this article could of benefited from further research - as there's always maintenance & roll out issues with any public scheme.
http://velibobsession.blogspot.com/2008/09/velib-maintenance.html
http://stephenrees.wordpress.com/2008/08/05/success-of-velib-in-par...
As if any Velib style scheme would be perfect for starters?
Can a comparative study be done with other public and commercial 'rental' schemes, like supermarket trolleys, car rentals, industrial equipment, the list goes on and on.
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Permalink Reply by weg on -
Pallas the astonisher. He consistently opposes plans for safer cycling, but is inconsistent about the limits of his portfolio responsibilities - when someone dies in the city, it's 'not his problem', but he's happy to oppose speed reductions. Funny he can pick and choose when he has control over city roads.
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Permalink Reply by ChrisS on
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Can someone scan the photo in todays Age of Pallas walking against the red lights in Johnston Street? Oh, the completely unintended mirth ...
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Permalink Reply by RobE on
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... it will be a service that Melbourne will benefit from....let's get on with it!..... BUT...how long do we have to put up with governments ( local , state and federal) ignoring the advice of the experts...Bayside Council refuses to accept the advice of experts on Beach Road no parking, The State Govt refuses to accept the advise of the experts on nett tarrif pricing for domestic solar grid feeds, Tim pallas refuses to accept the advice of experts on reducing speed limits to save lives.. the list goes on... are we going to continue to elect idiots in denial or will the electorates wake up?... today the world's scientists at a forum in Europe forum on climate ... world governments and industry have totally stuffed up and we will not have a habitable planet by the end of this century,.. what a legacy we are leaving our descendants...if they survive!
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