CityCycle articles discussion

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

A year on, CityCycle 'not off to a flying start'

A year on, CityCycle 'not off to a flying start'
Daniel Hurst
October 1, 2011

The number of casual CityCycle users has quadrupled since Brisbane City Council slashed subscription fees in response to poorer-than-expected uptake.

But a year to the day after the bicycle hire scheme's launch, Lord Mayor Graham Quirk conceded the service had "not got off to a flying start".

Latest figures released by the council show people made an average of 416 trips a day on the CityCycle scheme last week, despite more than 1000 bikes being available for their use.
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There are some promising signs – 2900 trips were made last week, and the number of people taking out one-day subscriptions shot up after the council cut the casual fee from $11 to $2 a day mid-way through August.

The council's figures show the number of people taking out a one-day pass rose from 200 in July to 332 in August before shooting up to at least 1064 in September.

But only 69 people have snapped up the new $11 one-week subscription option, which was unveiled as part of the fee shake-up on August 12.

Cr Quirk's spokesman said the scheme was not yet fully rolled out, meaning it had not reached a level-playing field on which to judge.

So far, 104 bike stations have been delivered out of the 150 planned, with 1060 bikes available out of the 2000 set to be in place when fully operational.

In a statement, Cr Quirk said it had been a tough first year with one of the wettest summers in the state's history and the January floods affecting CityCycle stations and knocking out the popular route, the floating RiverWalk at New Farm.

"CityCycle is about offering people another form of public transport in a bid to reduce traffic congestion on our inner-city roads and while it hasn't got off to a flying start, 80,000 trips in the first year is nothing to be scoffed at," he said.

"It's no secret that something needed to be done to make CityCycle more accessible and we've delivered a package of changes that seems to have given the scheme a spark, particularly with daily subscriptions quadrupling since, but it's still early days."

Cr Quirk said he was confident the popularity of the scheme would continue to grow as pedestrian movements in the CBD were projected to increase in coming years.

He defended the $8 million cost of introducing the scheme plus operational funding, saying the total cost was equivalent to about one-third of a single road intersection upgrade.

The Lord Mayor's spokesman said the operational cost to council per year was about $1 million. Although $2.4 million was budgeted, he said this included staff costs, most of which were not solely dedicated to the project.

The council expects to get about $450,000 in revenue this year.

Cr Quirk said he expected the scheme would become cost-neutral over time.

The Labor council opposition has long accused the council of botching the CityCycle rollout. The scheme was launched by former lord mayor Campbell Newman on October 1 last year.

The council attempted to address concerns about cost and helmets in August.

Apart from the slashing of subscription fees, the council also announced it would attach 400 free helmets onto the CityCycle bikes on an honesty basis.

Earlier this year, JCDecaux Australia chief executive Steve O'Connor, whose advertising company runs the CityCycle scheme, said there was "no doubt" the mandatory use of helmets constrained the use of the scheme.

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/a-year-on-citycycle-not-off-to-a-flying-start-20110930-1l1ee.html

[#Metro]

Wow it took a long time to get out of DENIAL and actually acknowledge that there is a problem!

There are some promising signs – 2900 trips were made last week, and the number of people taking out one-day subscriptions shot up after the council cut the casual fee from $11 to $2 a day mid-way through August.

Good move.

In a statement, Cr Quirk said it had been a tough first year with one of the wettest summers in the state's history and the January floods affecting CityCycle stations and knocking out the popular route, the floating RiverWalk at New Farm.

Whatever!

"CityCycle is about offering people another form of public transport in a bid to reduce traffic congestion on our inner-city roads and while it hasn't got off to a flying start, 80,000 trips in the first year is nothing to be scoffed at," he said.

Where is the proof and quantitative data that shows citycycle reduces congestion by any significant amount? I reckon it has negligible effect on car congestion and would take pax more from walking and cycling and additional trips. The next thing is Go-Card integration- for $2 just swipe and go...

[colinw]

Where is the proof and quantitative data that shows citycycle reduces congestion by any significant amount? I reckon it has negligible effect on car congestion and would take pax more from walking and cycling and additional trips. The next thing is Go-Card integration- for $2 just swipe and go...

Agreed.  While I think it is a potentially good scheme, I have concerns both due to the helmet problem and the general unfriendliness of Brisbane roads for cycling.

I can't see this attracting anyone out of their cars, rather as you say it will draw some pedestrians, habitual cyclists, and may cannibalise some shorter bus trips in areas like West End.  It could also have a useful connecting role from railway stations to destinations a little bit out of easy walking range.

But as a congestion buster, forget it. That requires real public transport services.

[#Metro]

BCC has done more to encourage car use, any gains made through this scheme are easily wiped out by their other projects such as legacy way, roads, removal of coro bus lane etc.

Just look at the big picture on balance.

In the overall scheme of things, CityCycle is a frill. Nice to have but even if we got it to 100 % success in the grand scheme the contribution is quite small. The big bounty is of course 15 minute frequent all day trains on the current system where infrastrucutre permits. Because wherever there isnt a busway, there is a train station. Get out a map and look at it. In fact, most people in Brisbane live near a train station. Buses are good but they run on roads, train is Class A alignment.

The second issue is the alternative to citycycle- lots and lots of bike racks. These people already have a bicycle and a helmet anyway. We need bike racks everywhere, but particularly near bus stops on the BUZ network.

http://www.transport.act.gov.au/bike_and_ride.html

[HappyTrainGuy]

What's their riding policy? Can it be ridden like a bmx or freestyle bike. I'd laugh so hard if I saw someone pulling a huge mono down Edward street

[Golliwog]

Haha, had a quick look on youtube and no one has posted any Citycycle tricking videos that I could find. Did find this one though, which is the most people I've ever seen use them. Not sure what it was organised for though.

[HappyTrainGuy]

According to google there's a 'fully sick" skate park near fairfeild railway station. If our PT is world class then it should be possible to get a train there from Southbank, do a fully sick trick at a skate park and catch a train back in 30 minutes to avoid paying a fee...... oh but this is Brisbane

[ozbob]

From the Couriermail Quest click here!

Three-month courtesy helmet trial ends

Three-month courtesy helmet trial ends

    by: Taryn Davis
    From: Quest Newspapers
    November 22, 2011 12:00AM

Today marks the end of a three-month trial of courtesy helmets with CityCycle bicycles.

About 400 bright yellow courtesy helmets were deployed with bikes across the City as part of a seven-point plan to boost user numbers in August.

Brisbane's Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said the bike hire scheme was an "evolution not a revolution".

"There was always going to be an opportunity to enhance the scheme," he said.

It is compulsory to wear a helmet while riding a bicycle in Queensland.

A report will be compiled to assess whether they were effective in attracting more subscribers and to determine how many of the $10 helmets were lost.

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Riders up, helmets down

Riders up, helmets down
Tony Moore
November 25, 2011 - 3:00AM

A three-month trial of cheaper CityCycle subscriptions and free helmets has seen trips almost double, but it has come at a cost to Brisbane City Council.

Of the 400 free helmets provided in August, 250 have been "misplaced".

Regardless, a spokesman for Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said the council would foot the bill for half of the $5000 required to provide a further 500 free helmets.
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The spokesman said the money would come from the existing CityCycle advertising revenue, with operator JCDecaux set to pay the other $2500.

Before the trial, there was an average of 1470 trips each week over the first 10 months of the CityCycle scheme.

The slow uptake prompted Cr Quirk to introduce changes to the struggling bike hire scheme.

Daily subscriptions were slashed from $11 to $2, a new $11 a week subscription was introduced and 400 free helmets were distributed.

The free helmets were in response to criticism that Queensland's helmet laws held back the CityCycle scheme.

Since August, the number of CityCycle trips jumped to an average of 2530 trips per week.

Cr Quirk's spokesman said the figure had grown as high as 500 trips per day during the three-month trial.

The council's public and active transport chairman Julian Simmonds said the changes to the scheme amounted to a 72 per cent increase in the number of weekly trips.

"Courtesy helmets and cheaper subscriptions have clearly made it easier for people to hop on a bike so we're going to distribute an extra 500 free helmets at no additional cost to ratepayers and also introduce a more affordable package for students," he said.

"CityCycle last week celebrated its 100,000th trip since its launch in October last year and we are now often reaching 500 trips a day."

The most popular City Cycle stops in the three-month trial were;

    Gardens Point, Queensland University of Technology.
    Tank Street and George Street - near Roma Street Station.
    Thornton Street Ferry - New Farm.
    Colchester Street, South Brisbane.
    Little Stanley Street, South Bank.

Six new City Cycle stations have recently opened in areas where the council expects the scheme to be popular

They are at South Bank's Maritime Museum, the popular cafe precinct in Park Road at Milton, as well as a new station on the Bicentennial Bikeway.

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/riders-up-helmets-down-20111124-1nwwa.html

[ozbob]

http://blogs.abc.net.au/queensland/2011/11/city-cycle-patronage-up-bcc-to-provide-500-more-helmets.html?site=brisbane&program=612_breakfast

612 ABC Brisbane Breakfast with Spencer Howson

City Cycle patronage up, BCC to provide 500 more helmets

25 November 2011 , 9:03 AM by Spencer Howson

New stats released today show a whopping increase in City Cycle patronage over the last three months, the period coinciding with Brisbane City Council coughing up for 400 helmets.

Cr Julian Simmons is Public and Active Transport Chair:

[Jonno]

Can you just imagine the increase if we made our roads safe to ride on.  Time to Cophenhagenise or Amsterdamize Brisbane!

[SurfRail]

Time to Cophenhagenise or Amsterdamize Brisbane!

What, make Brisbane more flood-prone?  ;

[Gazza]

Time to Cophenhagenise or Amsterdamize Brisbane!

What, make Brisbane more flood-prone?  ;

I was thinking it would involve legalising certain drugs.

[Jonno]

If it means a better cycling network then bring them in too!

[#Metro]

I think CityCycle has been a massive flop. Sorry, but just my opinion.
Methinks the money would have been better spent just on plain bike racks everywhere.

[Gazza]

It's funny, the racks at Brisbane square seem overfull most of the time, to the point that there is the odd bike chained to something else.

You may well be right.

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Cycling advocate laments Brisbane's 'won't do' attitude

Cycling advocate laments Brisbane's 'won't do' attitude
Tony Moore
November 25, 2011

The biggest problem with the slow take-up of Brisbane's City Cycle scheme is the change-resistant attitude of the city's residents, according to Bicycling Queensland's Ben Wilson.

Brisbane City Council today announced a considerable jump in CityCycle users since they dramatically revamped the scheme in August, cutting prices and offering free helmets.

However, the Labor opposition described the scheme as a continuing failure, plagued by waste.

Mr Wilson said he was confident CityCycle was "tracking well", and that more people needed to give it a try before writing it off.

"We have got to get CityCycle to that tipping point, where people forget they are Brisbane-ites," Mr Wilson said.

"Brisbane has a habit of saying 'I am not doing that'.

"And we actually try it and say, 'Hey this is actually cheap, easy and really, really good.

"Then we will get a massive increase in usage."

Mr Wilson said history showed Brisbane residents were slow to embrace change.

"I think we have a Brisbane attitude where we don't want to do new things," he said.

"We have to break through and 'force' Expos and Commonwealth Games on people.

"Look at alfresco dining. No-one wanted to eat outside we were told, and of course now nobody wants to eat inside.

"Sometimes it just takes a bit of leadership."

The fact 250 of 400 helmets had gone missing during the trial did not concern Mr Wilson.

"While some people are choosing to steal them, it's like stealing a hat or a condom, it's a 'good thing' that they are stealing," he said.

Mr Wilson said $2500 council was forced to pay for new helmets was affordable.

A spokesman for Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said the council would foot the bill for half of the $5000 required to provide a further 500 free helmets.

The spokesman said the money would come from the existing CityCycle advertising revenue, with operator JCDecaux set to pay the other $2500.

Before the latest three-month trial, there was an average of 1470 trips each week over the first 10 months of the CityCycle scheme, peaking at around 2000 weekly since the opening of extra stations in May.

Now, the number of CityCycle trips has jumped to an average of 2530 trips per week.

The uptake came after Cr Quirk introduced changes to the struggling bike hire scheme in August.

Daily subscriptions were slashed from $11 to $2, a new $11 a week subscription was introduced and 400 free helmets were distributed.

The free helmets were in response to criticism that Queensland's helmet laws held back the CityCycle scheme.

The council's public and active transport chairman Julian Simmonds said the changes to the scheme amounted to a 72 per cent increase in the number of weekly trips, however when compared to figures immediately preceding the trial, the increase was more like 25 per cent.

"Courtesy helmets and cheaper subscriptions have clearly made it easier for people to hop on a bike so we're going to distribute an extra 500 free helmets at no additional cost to ratepayers and also introduce a more affordable package for students," Cr Simmonds said.

"CityCycle last week celebrated its 100,000th trip since its launch in October last year and we are now often reaching 500 trips a day."

However Labor Lord Mayoral candidate Ray Smith today described the scheme as "plagued by waste, abysmal usage figures and helmet problems''.

"This scheme was supposed to pay for itself but it's now costing ratepayers over $2.4 million per year just to have bikes sitting on the side of the road gathering rust and dust," the Labor candidate said.

"If I am elected as Lord Mayor, I'll sit down with [the operator] JC Decaux to stop the waste and renegotiate this contract, because it's clearly not working under the current arrangements.''

Mr Smith seized on new figures that show a three-month trial of cheaper CityCycle subscriptions and free helmets saw a significant jump in the number of trips, but came at a cost to Brisbane City Council.

The most popular City Cycle stops in the three-month trial were:

    Gardens Point, Queensland University of Technology.
    Tank Street and George Street - near Roma Street Station.
    Thornton Street Ferry - New Farm.
    Colchester Street, South Brisbane.
    Little Stanley Street, South Bank.

Six new City Cycle stations have recently opened in areas where the council expects the scheme to be popular

They are at South Bank's Maritime Museum, the popular cafe precinct in Park Road at Milton, as well as a new station on the Bicentennial Bikeway.

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/cycling-advocate-laments-brisbanes-wont-do-attitude-20111124-1nwwa.html

[ozbob]

From the Couriermail Quest click here!

Business frustrated at easy access parking

Business frustrated at easy access parking

    by: Kieran Rooney, City South News
    From: Quest Newspapers
    February 08, 2012 12:00AM

A CITYCYCLE station on Dornoch Terrace, West End, has run foul of local businesses angry at the loss of valuable car parks.

Lucky 7 Dornoch Owner Jay Green said the the bike rack had taken away spots important to his "drop-in and out customers".

"Trying to find a park around here is a nightmare," he said.

He said the CityCycle station was even more frustrating because no one ever used it.

"I've been past it countless time and they're always full," he said.

"I think it's a big waste of taxpayers money."

Mr Green said residents who could not reach their property were also unhappy.

"We had a petition with hundreds of signatures and council wrote back saying they would have a look at it."

"But I doubt they'll do anything, it will still go ahead."

Another local owner, Philip Garoufalis, said many customers had complained about the loss.

"In 20 years time we might be able to say the scheme was a success so I don't want to be too critical," he said.

"But at the moment it just doesn't seem like a good idea."

Cr Helen Abrahams (Gabba) said she was angry her concerns about the stations had become a real problem.

"This is just not an appropriate location" she said.

"The local community petitioned Council to defer the installation until the yellow bikes are being used so there would be a benefit to their businesses."

She said every day Brisbane residents see rows of unused bikes at the station.

"It is impossible to explain why there was a need for more than thirty bikes at this location," she said.

[ozbob]

612 ABC Brisbane Breakfast

West End CityCycle station raises ire of business

08 February 2012 , 9:09 AM by Spencer Howson

Shops in West End say they are suffering because of a City Cycle Station.

Our reporter Stacey Milner is there this morning speaking with business owners. Councillor Julian Simmonds is Chair of Public and Active Transport with Brisbane City Council.

--> here!

[Golliwog]

I've seen a few people using them around WE when I went in to the West End markets the other weekend.

[O_128]

612 ABC Brisbane Breakfast

West End CityCycle station raises ire of business

08 February 2012 , 9:09 AM by Spencer Howson

Shops in West End say they are suffering because of a City Cycle Station.

Our reporter Stacey Milner is there this morning speaking with business owners. Councillor Julian Simmonds is Chair of Public and Active Transport with Brisbane City Council.

--> here!

I'm sure the loss of a few car-parks is why they are losing business, #idiots

[Mr X]

I've seen a few people using them around WE when I went in to the West End markets the other weekend.

I've seen a few folk use them too 

People in West End just like to complain a lot.

[O_128]

I've seen a few people using them around WE when I went in to the West End markets the other weekend.

I've seen a few folk use them too 

People in West End just like to complain a lot.

People are now using the city glider then getting a cycle and cycling down to new farm to avoid the 199.

[Mr X]

CityCycle has now been installed at Dutton Park. Bikes appeared last week 
I must be the only person in Brisbane who wants a citycycle in their street haha.. I rode to uni for the first few weeks in first year and found it a big pain getting the bike out from under the house, finding somewhere to leave it, remembering to bring my lock chain (oops). If I ride, I am then obligated to ride back  I walk instead.

They now have student subscription for $27.50/6 months or $45 annually.

Citycycle on Gladstone Rd would be bliss.

[WTN]

Citycycle on Gladstone Rd would be bliss.

Are there any bike lanes to let cyclists ride safely through those hills and bends?

To the business owners who complain: how about we rip up the footpath and replace them with more carparks? I'm sure no one walks these days to your store, instead preferring to park right at your front door. Seriously, are we so lazy we can't be bothered to park next to the bike racks?

[Mr X]

No just a bike 'line'. There are lanes in parts but it isn't continuous. Normally I ride on the footpath (which IS legal)

[ozbob]

From the Couriermail click here!

Liability fears rule out young riders for Brisbane's CityCycle scheme

Liability fears rule out young riders for Brisbane's CityCycle scheme

    by: Robyn Ironside
    From: The Courier-Mail
    February 27, 2012 12:00AM

YOUNG riders aged 17 and under have been banned from Brisbane's CityCycle bikes because of "public liability" issues - despite being legally entitled to ride their own bikes on the road.

New Farm resident Aileen Quilkey was surprised to learn about the "rule" after writing to Brisbane City Council to complain that her young nephew had contracted headlice after using one of the public bikes with the helmet provided.

The response she received not only dismissed the chance of picking up nits from the shared helmets as "minuscule", but also admonished her for allowing a child to ride the bicycles in the first place.

Ms Quilkey said the council had taken 40 days to respond to her complaint.

"So, although the council has a scheme to promote health and fitness, it's just not for families with children or those under 17," Ms Quilkey said. "How disappointing. I feel this is such a shame and a potentially wasted opportunity."

A spokeswoman for Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said CityCycle operators JC Decaux set the terms and conditions of the bicycle use, but said in relation to people aged 17 and under, there was a "public liability issue".

Ben Wilson from Bicycle Queensland said the requirement was "regrettable", but unavoidable under public liability law.

"We have the same frustrations when we run bike events," Mr Wilson said. "Sometimes children who might be 15 or 16 cannot partake because of public liability.

"It does seem strange when a child of any age can legally ride a bike on the road."

He said what made the ban on people aged 17 and under even more regrettable was the high safety standards of the CityCycle bikes.

"They're well-maintained and you can't even get a flat tyre, so you're not going to fall off if the tyre goes down when you're rounding a corner," Mr Wilson said.

"It's all a bit of a mystery."

Despite the restrictions, use of the CityCycle bikes reached a "record high" in January, when about 460 of the 1500 cycles were taken out each day.

A council spokeswoman said since the scheme was overhauled in August - slashing subscription costs and providing helmets - average daily trips had jumped from 211 to 391.

"Riders always have the choice of wearing their own helmets or wearing a hairnet if they have any hygiene concerns," she said.

Work is continuing on more stations throughout Brisbane's inner suburbs, including Kangaroo Point, Milton and Auchenflower.

When completed, there will be 150 stations with about 2000 bikes for hire.

[#Metro]

I was in New Farm yesterday and I saw four or five people riding them - the altered cost structure is making a difference.

[Fares_Fair]

It would be hard to prove that someone got nits from a bicycle helmet, I'm certainly not discounting it, as they are picked up by school kids everywhere.

I read a book that told me that head lice cannot survive more than 24 hours away from a host.

I found one, an adult approx. 2mm long, on one of my children and put it in a small test sample jar.
It was still alive over 48 hours later.

So much for the books!

[Cam]

At sixteen you can legally drive a car on a public road under supervision but you can't legally ride a CityCycle bicycle. 

[WTN]

It's quite odd Citycycle has been caught up in such red tape.

In one of the council gyms, even 14 year olds can join. Go figure!

[SurfRail]

At sixteen you can legally drive a car on a public road under supervision but you can't legally ride a CityCycle bicycle. 

You can "legally" ride it, you are just breaching the terms of service.

When you are learning to drive, you certainly can't get access to a hire car for liability reasons - this is the same logic in play.  You learn to drive in mum or dad's car because they won't sue you (generally).

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Bid to link CityCycle with Go Card quashed

Bid to link CityCycle with Go Card quashed
Bridie Jabour
March 19, 2012 - 6:08AM

A bid by Brisbane City Council to allow residents to use a Go Card to hire CityCycle bikes has been rejected by Queensland Transport Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk, who says taxpayers should not be called upon to prop up the "failing" scheme.

However, council says the move would cost no money and has accused the government of putting political differences ahead of commuters' needs.

brisbanetimes.com.au has obtained a letter sent from BCC Chairman for Public and Active Transport Julian Simmonds to Ms Palaszczuk in January in which Cr Simmonds revealed council officers were in negotiations with TransLink to link the CityCycle to the Go Card.
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"Advice from CityCycle operator JCDecaux is that the scheme is currently equipped with the technology to incorporate this improvement however the Go Card is the property of the state government, (and TransLink) approval is required to enable this function,'' the letter said.

Launched in early 2011 by then Brisbane lord mayor Campbell Newman, CityCycle suffered well documented problems in attracting participants, prompting Mr Newman's successor Graham Quirk to roll out a series of improvements including free helmets in August.

Council claims usage of the bikes has risen 87 per cent since the changes were introduced, and that allowing users to hire a bike with a Go Card would help streamline the process.

But Ms Palaszczuk refused to allow the Go Card to be used to hire a bike.

''It is no secret that CityCycle, introduced by former lord mayor Campbell Newman, is a total and abject failure," she said.

"I am advised the most recent public figures show 60% of CityCycles remain entirely idle every single day.

"Now in an attempt to save this failed scheme the Council want people from Redlands, the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and regions all over Queensland to prop it up.

"I can only assume that incorporating CityCycle into the Go Card system would inevitably mean the financial liability of this failing scheme would be placed on Queensland taxpayers, who already contribute significant sums to support public and active transport."

Cr Simmonds last night rejected Ms Palaszcuk's claim and questioned the timing of her response which he said appeared to be a desperate attempt to play political games on the eve of an election.

"Adding CityCycle to the Go Card scheme comes at no cost to the ratepayer or the state government yet once again Minister Palaszczuk is blocking the progress of Brisbane's public transport network in a game of dirty tactics," he said.

"This was an improvement to the scheme which is continually asked for by users, and it's all set to go at the push of a button. All the Minister had to do was agree, but even over a simple request to help people she continues to put politics first."

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/state-election-2012/bid-to-link-citycycle-with-go-card-quashed-20120318-1vdgt.html

[ozbob]

Hopefully the next Government sees it differently.

We have long campaigned for the go card to be CityCycle friendly.

[Jonno]

Bigger problem is that the next Governmrnt will do very little to encourage cycling or convert more roads space to dedicated lanes as this is the only action that will ensure City Cycle survives.

[#Metro]

Will the LNP integrate Go Card and CityCycle?

The red team has just given free ammo to the blue team... CRAZY!!

[ozbob]

Media release 19 March 2012

SEQ: State Government contributes to CityCycle failure?

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org), a web-based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers has slammed the failure to integrate CityCycle and GoCard under one ticketing system.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"The 'holy grail' of the CityCycle scheme is to be able to grab a helmet freely and to swipe your GoCard and use it. It was exposed in the media today what we have always suspected - GoCard can be integrated with CityCycle, virtually, at the press of a button (1)."

"The reason why integration with GoCard is absolutely crucial to the success of the scheme, along with easy helmet availability, is similar to the reason why bus, ferry and train tickets were abolished and integrated in 2004 - removing the need for a separate ticket reduces hassle and makes transferring from one mode to another easy."

"Ownership issues aside, the reality is, by refusing to integrate the Go Card when it is technically possible, the State Government must now also be accountable for its own part in the failure of the CityCycle scheme by knowingly withholding integration with the rest of the TransLink system. By way of analogy, it is a bit like forcing Brisbane City Council buses to have a different ticket to the rest of the TransLink network and then blaming the BCC for the poor results from non-integration."

"Brisbane City Council has done their part, it is now time for the State Government to co-operate."

"We call on the next government to put Queensland at the forefront of sustainable transport policy in Australia and integrate GoCard with CityCycle (2)."

References:

1. Bid to link CityCycle with Go Card quashed http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/state-election-2012/bid-to-link-citycycle-with-go-card-quashed-20120318-1vdgt.html

2. http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=6156.0

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org


Photograph 24 July 2011 R Dow

[ozbob]

My photograph made BT 

--> Bid to link CityCycle with Go Card quashed

[O_128]

Ive been saying this since it started, I don't want to carry another card, I have a registered GO card on me, why do I need another one?

"I am advised the most recent public figures show 60% of CityCycles remain entirely idle every single day."

This woman really is an idiot, Maybe if people could just use there registered Go card people would use the system!!

"Now in an attempt to save this failed scheme the Council want people from Redlands, the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and regions all over Queensland to prop it up."

Ummmmm, So what about normal public transport and roads? It has also been stated many times that SEQ subsidies the regions not the other way around.

[ozbob]

Updated http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/state-election-2012/lnp-would-consider-citycyclego-card-link-20120318-1vdgt.html

LNP would consider CityCycle/Go Card link

Go Cards could be used to hire CityCycle bikes under an LNP government with the opposition spokesman for transport Scott Emerson saying they would be "happy" to look at it.

The Brisbane City Council put forward the proposal to Queensland Transport Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk in January but she rejected it saying taxpayers should not be called upon to prop up the "failing" scheme.

This morning Mr Emerson said an LNP government would be open to the idea and would consider entering negotiations with the council to integrate the Go Card and CityCycle.
''Look we haven't been approached by the Brisbane City Council but we are very happy to consider the idea,'' he said.

''We are supportive of the CityCycle and anything that can help public transport we are in favour of ...''