Busted bike lock-ups removed for racks

Vandals have forced Auckland Transport to phase out bike storage lockers at bus and train stations across the city.

For three years, Mike Deady cycled from his Forrest Hill home on to the Akoranga bus station, locked up his bike out of the elements and then caught a bus to his job in the CBD.

However, repeated abuse of locker keys has meant commuters like Deady have been unable to use the storage system for months.

Auckland Transport (AT) told Deady, in a response to his lodged complaint: ‘‘While AT expects customers to remove their bikes at the end of the day and return the locker keys, we cannot realistically control customers who keep their key overnight ... AT cannot continue to repair lockers that have been vandalised, due to funding constraints.’’

Bike lockers will be replaced by bike racks - a move Deady sees as having drawbacks.

‘‘The bike lockers are a fantastic service and provide allweather protection for bikes as well as security,’’ Deady said.

‘‘The types of people who vandalise the lockers will move on to the bikes on the racks.

‘‘AT is trying to get more people to ride bikes and yet are taking the facilities to support them away because they are a bit more difficult to manage.’’

Deady has suggested alternative locking systems for the lockers rather than keys, including electronic pass codes that only last 24 hours, six-monthly leases or a system linked to AT HOP cards.

All Deady’s suggestions have been shut down by AT.

‘‘I am disappointed to hear AT is not supporting this great initiative [bike lockers] further because of a hurdle,’’ Deady said.

Deady said e-bike owners will be hesitant to use the open-air bike racks for their expensive equipment.

AT media spokeswoman Joanna Glasswell said the organisation is currently looking at options to accommodate more bikes at Akoranga Station.

‘‘Bike racks will allow for many more bikes to be parked at the station,’’ Glasswell said.

Bike lockers are also situated at Albany Park and Ride, Constellation Park and Ride and Smales Farm Station on the Northern Busway.

The bike lockers at Glen Innes and Manurewa train stations are no longer in service.

FELICITY REID/ STUFF Mike Deady wants to keep bike lockers, like the ones at Akoranga bus station, in service.