IS THIS THE RIDE IDEA?
Melbourne’s failed bike-share program could end up here
GEELONG could become home to Melbourne’s dumped public bike-sharing scheme if the nation’s largest cycling body gets its way.
Bicycle Network wants Geelong to be the new base for hundreds of blue share bikes that are set to be phased out of Melbourne because the program has struggled to attract users.
But Mayor Bruce Harwood says it’s not a good fit for Geelong.
“I just don’t think that type of tourism product is going to serve us best,” he said.
GEELONG could become home to a public bike-sharing scheme if the nation’s largest cycling body gets its way.
The city has been mooted as a potential new base for hundreds of blue share bikes that are set to be phased out of Melbourne over the coming months.
It follows the State Government announcement on Friday that it would abandon a bike-sharing scheme in Melbourne after the program struggled to attract users.
Bicycle Network — which represents close to 50,000 members — is urging the government to consider shifting the bikes to Geelong instead of sending them to the scrap heap. The group’s general manager of public affairs, Anthea Hargreaves, said the program would be a perfect fit for regional centres such as Geelong.
“The scheme was too small to work in Melbourne, but it is an ideal size for Victoria’s regional cities which are crying out for increased investment in bike riding and active transport,” she said.
“Instead of sending these good bikes to landfill, we should use it as an opportunity to get more people riding and improve the health of our regions.”
But the idea has failed to gain the support of Geelong Mayor Bruce Harwood, who cast doubt on the need for such a scheme in the local area. “I don’t think Geelong is ready for it,” he said.
“I don’t think we’re such a vast CBD inner city area that (otherwise) can’t be walked quite easily.
“As much as I’m a big supporter of better shared bike trails in the region, I just don’t think that type of tourism product is going to serve us best.”
The Melbourne project — which will finish at the end of November — was initially rolled out in 2010 and involved 600 bikes spread across 50 docking stations.
While successful bike-share schemes across the world attract between three and 10 daily trips per bike, Melbourne averaged just one user per bicycle each day.
Ms Hargreaves said the main reason for the program’s failure in Melbourne was its “small” network of docks and bikes.
“The key to a successful bike share scheme is accessibility, location and scale,” she said. “We know that bike share schemes can work, we just have to get it right.
“As well as the right number of bikes and docks, we also need high-quality connected bike lanes and infrastructure.”
Cr Harwood said he would prefer to see more effort put into developing shared trails.