Melbourne’s share bikes hit wall
Melbourne’s publicly-funded bike-share scheme is being scrapped because it’s expensive and people aren’t using it.
Photo: AAP/Joe Castro
The blue-bike scheme introduced in 2010 costs more than $2 million a year, with each bike only used once a day on average.
“This scheme has raised the profile of cycling in Melbourne, but the bikes have reached the end of their functional life and it no longer represents value for money for Victorians,” Victorian Roads Minister Jaala Pulford said on Friday.
The state government-funded program was brought in nine years ago to ease pressure on public transport but tourists make up more than 70 per cent of bike trips.
Phasing out the scheme will free up footpaths for pedestrians and bike parking for regular commuters,Pulford says.
RACV is contracted to run the scheme for Public Transport Victoria and will be responsible for notifying and refunding any subscribers.
-AAP
Want to comment?
Send us an email, making it clear which story you’re commenting on and including your full name (required for publication) and phone number (only for verification purposes). Please put “Reader views” in the subject.
We’ll publish the best comments in a regular “Reader Views” post. Your comments can be brief, or we can accept up to 350 words, or thereabouts.
InDaily has changed the way we receive comments. Go here for an explanation.
