WHEELS IN MOTION ON SHARE SCHEME
The Gold Coast’s new bike-share scheme launches tomorrow, with 150 bicycles ready to take to the streets
OPERATORS of the Gold Coast’s new bike-share scheme hope a world first “hybrid dockless” system will prevent the cycles from being piled up on beaches, in rivers and up trees the way they have in other cities.
The council-initiated bikeshare rollout launches tomorrow with 150 of the distinctive silver and orange cycles, ramping up to 300 by the weekend and up to 2000 in time for the Commonwealth Games.
The partnership, between Burleigh-based bus company Transit Australia Group and the world’s largest bike share operator Mobike, is dubbed TAG Mobility and will introduce the GPS-tracked bikes in Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach and Southport before spreading them further in line with demand.
Users can book their bikes via the Mobike app and unlock them using a QR code with two crews monitoring the condition of bikes, which will be located and redistributed to high-demand areas by two crews every day.
Two models of bike will be released – a single-speed version and a lighter three-speed model – and users will be able to ride for just $2.50 per trip.
Bright orange helmets will be required under the law and provided with at no extra cost.
While similar schemes in Sydney, Melbourne and overseas ask users to park the bikes somewhere “responsible”, the Gold Coast scheme will encourage riders to leave them at five nominated bike hubs, and reward them with
credits for doing so. TAG Mobility has also partnered with non-profit group Good Cycles and will seek out longterm unemployed people to join the staff.
Vans will collect bikes from undesirable areas daily, repairing those that need it – although they are robust and generate enough power through dynamos and solar to operate their electronic systems. The group hopes the social aspect of the scheme and the locally-based team would create community pride in the program.
General manager Derek Mollison said the Gold Coast scheme was different from other cities’ failed programs as it was integrated with public transport and was developed alongside the council.
“The great thing about a dockless system is the flexibility, that you can drop them off anywhere,” he said.
“But one of the beauties of this hybrid model is that it makes it easier for users to pick them up from a convenient location.”
The group will offer a free one-day trial and then offer three months for $5 for users who sign up this month.
After that, regular users can get a monthly pass for $30, or a casual ride for $2.50.