CityCycle articles discussion

[Gazza]

I saw a stoner looking bloke at uni who had a CityCycle helmet, but was on his own bike.

It happens!

[beauyboy]

The fact is "CITYCYCLE" needed to be etched into the helmet casing to discourage scabs like that, oh and citycycle staff ensuring every helmet was locked in place before they left each station. Both didn't / don't happen so people steal them.

Mind you BCC is a getting a good deal with helmets less then $9 each.

Donald

[#Metro]

Just shove a big BCC logo on it - no one will steal it then.

[ozbob]

Media release 3 October 2012

SEQ: CityCycle scheme 'designed to fail' - fix it!

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 called for full electronic ticketing on public transport by the end of 2013 and introduction of GoCard for CityCycle (1,2,3,4,5,6).


http://backontrack.org/images/ntours/24jul11/n3.jpg

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"RAIL Back On Track members are concerned about the underwhelming take up of CityCycle, particularly in proportion to its running costs. We want more people to use CityCycle and we want to see it used as a feeder mode to public transport and to get around faster without using a car. "

"There are many problems with the scheme - today a Crikey Blogger and prominent Urbanist Alan Davies has done an analysis piece on Brisbane's CityCycle scheme and also it has come to our attention that a research paper detailing CityCycle's problems have now been published in the Journal Transportation Research Part F (1)."

"The research paper reveals what we at RAIL Back On Track have known all along - that many people feel that city cycling infrastructure is lacking which makes cycling unsafe, helmets are a major issue, the sign up process is a major deterrent and the inability to 'swipe and go' repels people.

"We again call for the integration of GoCard with CityCycle, as was promised in the lead up to the state election. Within the research paper it quotes this: 'Everyone in Brisbane has a Go Card. If you've got one of them, you should be able to ride CityCycle. You've got a card, swipe, go'." and 'You would double or triple usage rates straight away" (if integrated with Go Card)'"

"The time has come to integrate GoCard with CityCycle and unlock full potential of the scheme. What needs to happen before Brisbane City Council and the State Government act?"

"Tourist go card, years coming ... integration of CityCycle and go card, years coming ... an absurd anti-public transport fare system which TransLink continues to fail to comprehend is botched ... and a government that continues to promise but fails to deliver."

"Queensland - a state of public and active transport failure!"

Contact:

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

References:

1. Barriers and facilitators to public bicycle scheme use: A qualitative approach  Original Research Article
Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, Volume 15, Issue 6, November 2012, Pages 686-698, Elliot Fishman, Simon Washington, Narelle Haworth
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.trf.2012.08.002

2. Campbell Newman would link CityCycle to Go Card
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/campbell-newman-would-link-citycycle-to-go-card-20120415-1x15t.html

3. LNP would consider CityCycle/Go Card link
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/state-election-2012/lnp-would-consider-citycyclego-card-link-20120318-1vdgt.html

4. Swipe Go Card for CityCycle Hire
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/swipe-go-card-to-hire-citycycle-bike/story-e6freoof-1226326872114

5. SEQ: State Government contributes to CityCycle failure?
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=7915.msg91315#msg91315

6. Image (juxtaposition with bike station highlights absurdity of not being able to use GoCard)
http://backontrack.org/images/ntours/24jul11/n3.jpg

[ozbob]

Media Statements
Minister for Transport and Main Roads
The Honourable Scott Emerson
Friday, November 30, 2012

go card touches on CityCycle

Active and public transport ticketing will be integrated for the first time from today with go card available for use on Brisbane City Council's CityCycle.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson said go card holders would be able to link to a CityCycle account from Friday.

"By working together the Queensland Government and the Brisbane City Council are about to make it even easier to transfer between bus, train, ferry and now bicycle," Mr Emerson said.

"It's the first time go card has been linked to a function other than public transport.

"Despite making perfect sense the Labor government buried their head in ideological sand falsely claiming go card users would be liable for, or propping up, CityCycle in some way.

"Instead, under the LNP both levels of government have been able to work together and deliver for active transport and public transport users at no additional cost."

CityCycle account holders can go on-line (www.citycycle.com.au (external site)) to link their accounts to their go card. go cards will still be able to be topped up in the usual way – on line, auto top-up or at a go card retailer or ticket machine.

Both accounts currently remain separate and the discounts and incentives that apply to both schemes remain separate.

Council Public and Active Transport Chairman Peter Matic said the ability to move seamlessly between the different types of transport was an exciting step forward for the growing CityCycle scheme.

"CityCycle is growing, is now used by an average of 4,500 people a week and has been used on more than 300,000 trips since its inception two years ago," Mr Matic said.

"Having the go card linked with CityCycle will help encourage people to use public or active transport and reduce congestion on our roads.

"I'm pleased that both levels of government, working with contractors Cubic (go card) and JCDecaux (CityCycle) have been able to make this breakthrough."

[ozbob]

Just did a short interview on 612 ABC Brisbane Breakfast with Spencer Howson on this news.

It is not the full monty however, you need to set up a long term (3 months or more) subscription to CityCycle first.

Would have preferred a system whereby registered go card users just do a  simple touch for casual use.

But I guess it is a start of sorts, and it is the first time go card is being used for something outside actual public transport fares as such. 

Hopefully more to come ...

http://www.citycycle.com.au/News/CityCycle-Updates/Good-news!-You-can-now-associate-your-CityCycle-subscription-to-your-TransLink-go-Card

Good news! You can now associate your CityCycle subscription to your TransLink go Card!
(29/11/2012)
JCDecaux, with the support of Brisbane City Council and Translink, is happy to announce that CityCycle is now "go card friendly"! Once you have linked your go card to your CityCycle account, you can travel seamlessly around Brisbane by bus, train, ferry or CityCycle using your go card!

New to CityCycle?

Just follow these simple steps:

    Purchase a go card from one of TransLink's distribution points or use your existing go card.
    Sign up to a long term CityCycle subscription (3 months or more) and select the TransLink go card option.
    After subscribing, you will receive a subscriber number, link number and 4-digit PIN via email.
    Visit any CityCycle station, scan your go card and follow the prompts to link your go card to your CityCycle account. You will need to enter your subscriber number, link number and PIN (You only need to use your link and subscription numbers once).
    You can now use your go card to start riding - don't forget to grab a helmet!


* CityCycle and TransLink operate on separate billing systems and balances are not transferable between accounts. No personal information is exchanged between the two organisations.

Current subscribers

If you are already a long term CityCycle subscriber (3 months or more), please call the CityCycle Hotline on 1300 CCYCLE (1300 229 253) between 8:30am and 5:30pm, Monday to Friday or email us at citycycle@citycycle.com.au to request a link number for your go card. (Please allow up to two days to receive a response).

Once you have your link number, visit any CityCycle station, scan your go card and follow the prompts to enter your subscriber number, link number and PIN. This will link your go card to your CityCycle subscription.

[ozbob]

Transport Minister Emerson about to do an interview on 612 ABC Brisbane Breakfast with Spencer Howson

[ozbob]

Transport Minister Emerson about to do an interview on 612 ABC Brisbane Breakfast with Spencer Howson

GoCard and CityCycle working together at last - Minister Scott Emerson

30 November 2012 , 9:12 AM by Spencer Howson

From today your Go Card will now be available for use on Brisbane City Council's CityCycle. Sounds simple, seamless and an easier way to jump on a City Cycle, but is it?

Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson:

--> here!

[ozbob]

612 ABC Brisbane Breakfast with Spencer Howson

GoCard and CityCycle working together at last - Robert Dow

30 November 2012 , 9:10 AM by Spencer Howson

--> here!

Thanks Spencer for allowing me to get a plug in for our 2012 Public Transport Passenger Survey too -->  http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=9243.0

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Commuters can use Go Cards on CityCycle from today

Commuters can use Go Cards on CityCycle from today
November 30, 2012 - 8:29AM
Marissa Calligeros

Commuters will be able to use their Go Cards to access Brisbane's CityCycle bikes from today.

Go Card holders can now link their existing account to a CityCycle account, but bike trips will not count towards the government's "nine-and-free" public transport scheme.

The integration has been a long time coming, with commuter lobby group Rail Back on Track suggesting the link in June 2011.

During this year's state election campaign, the Labor Party rejected linking the Go Card and the CityCycle scheme but the LNP agreed to look at the idea.

"Despite making perfect sense the Labor government buried their head in ideological sand falsely claiming Go Card users would be liable for, or propping up, CityCycle in some way,'' Transport Minister Scott Emerson said.

"By working together the Queensland Government and the Brisbane City Council are about to make it even easier to transfer between bus, train, ferry and now bicycle.''

As of April this year, there were 146 CityCycle stations in Brisbane, mainly around the inner-city and out to St Lucia and Newstead.

The CityCycle scheme, which was introduced in September 2010 by now Premier Campbell Newman when he was Brisbane's Lord Mayor, costs the council about $1 million in operational costs each year.

The bikes are used by about 4500 people each week, according to the council.

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/commuters-can-use-go-cards-on-citycycle-from-today-20121130-2akkq.html

[Jonno]

In the defence of emus. There has never been any documented evidence of an emu sticking its head in the sand!!!!

[nathandavid88]

^^ Actually, I believe it's Ostriches that are said to do that.

It's a shame that the link only works with 3 month + subscriptions. I can see why they've done it the way they did (needing the credit card details to charge for the rides and as collateral against someone stealing one of the bikes) but it doesn't really help with casual usage. Still, it's a start, and I've gotta give it to the LNP for actually looking at it when Labor didn't even seem to entertain the idea.

I think the next step is to look at allowing registered Go Cards (even if they have to be ones that have an auto top-up attached to them) to be able to buy the shorter term subscriptions from a CityCycle kiosk using their Go Card Balance, with subscription details based on the details on their Go Card – although sharing that sort of information between organisations does have its own problems. 

[Golliwog]

I agree, it's a useful combo, and helps reduce the number of cards that clutter everyone's wallet/purse. And I agree, the next step should be to have the go card balance useable for the short term bike rentals. Having Citycycle and Translink share data is going to be the problem there though, it might only be possible if they get combined in some shape or form, or if Citycycle shifts across to go card only (except for already existing CC cards).

If they're going to combine further, I think the next step is to sort out a combined billing system. Some aspects of Citycycle lend itself to this (i.e. relatively low usage fee's after the first free 30 minutes, until you get up to several hours of hire: http://www.citycycle.com.au/Subscriptions/Usage-Fees/Subscription-and-Usage-Fees), others don't though, such as a subscription fee (shouldn't be too hard to incorporate into Translink) and the lack of the second touch at the end of a bike use to update the go card balance. I'm mostly looking at CC being incorporated into TL because TL is obviously the bigger entity here.

[Jonno]

^^ Actually, I believe it's Ostriches that are said to do that.

Apologies you are right

In the defence of Ostriches. There has never been any documented evidence of an Ostriches sticking its head in the sand!!!!

[nathandavid88]

^^ Off topic, but there was an ABC article by Dr Karl explaining where that saying came from, which was very interesting (well, I was VERY bored at the time I read it! )

[ozbob]

Media release 1st December 2012

SEQ: CityCycle and GoCard integration welcomed!


http://backontrack.org/images/ntours/24jul11/n3.jpg

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 welcomed the integration of CityCycle and GoCard. This is an Australian first, which means that we now lead the pack in terms of bicycle integration with public transport (1, 2).

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"While our ideal system would be any person with a registered GoCard could simply 'swipe on, swipe off', the announcement that GoCard and CityCycle accounts can be linked is a symbolic and significant step forward."

"For example, toll roads have long allowed anyone with any transponder from any toll company to use any toll road in Australia without having to set up and link multiple accounts, and ultimately we should aim for something similar in this case."

"It remains to be tested whether the perceived risk of people stealing CityCycle bicycles is real - we think the design of the cycles is not one that would be conducive to stealing, and therefore a pre-existing subscription or account may not be not necessary."

"Swipe and Go, without having to set up a subscription beforehand is the ultimate holy grail. Perhaps a bike pass can be loaded on to the GoCard or a small insurance fee incorporated into the price would allow the scheme to be opened to anybody with a registered GoCard."

"We welcome recent improvements and action on the GoCard tourist card, more public transport data made available, the introduction of upgraded train frequency on the Ferny Grove Line and the SEQ bus review in addition to today's announcement."

Further improvements we would like to see in 2013 include:

(a) 100% electronic ticketing environment however preloaded go cards should be available on all buses other than pre-paid services if this is done - Melbourne will be electronic only from late December this year,

(b) absolute #1 priority for the roll out of the Core Frequent Network, beginning with The Bus Grid,

(c) All door 'tram-style' boarding on buses. These incremental improvements are relatively low cost and very rapid to do,

(d) Sector 2 rail timetable implementation,

(e) Review of the fares on the TransLink SEQ network.

"We thank the Minister for Transport, Scott Emerson, JC Decaux, Brisbane City Council and TransLink.

"Keep up the progress!"

References:

1. SEQ: CityCycle scheme 'designed to fail' - fix it! http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=9134.0

2. http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/commuters-can-use-go-cards-on-citycycle-from-today-20121130-2akkq.html

Contact:

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

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

CityCycle use rises after Go Card link

CityCycle use rises after Go Card link
April 25, 2013 - 12:01AM

Linking the Go Card to Brisbane's divisive CityCycle scheme seems to be paying off, with figures revealing the program is more popular now than ever before.

Last month, 18,620 CityCycle trips were made compared to 15,966 trips in December, when the ability to link the card had only just come into effect.

And an increasing proportion of trips are now made with Go Cards, with 20 per cent of all trips in March made using the TransLink ticket.

Go Cards also account for 72.7 per cent of all long-term subscriptions to the scheme, a figure influenced by the fact they can only be linked if a user signs-up to CityCycle for a minimum of three months.
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But linking your card remains no easy task.

Users must purchase a card from a TransLink station, or use an existing Go Card, and sign up to a long-term CityCycle subscription worth $27.50.

From there, they need to select the TransLink Go Card option, wait for a subscriber number, link that number with a four digit PIN provided via email, and then link the Go Card to the CityCycle account.

This requires the Go Card to be scanned at a CityCycle station, and the subscription number and PIN to be punched into the station machine.

Yet once the process is completed, new users are ready to ride free, or as freely as permitted by the program's rules which limit use to people aged over 17, and between the hours of 5am and 10pm.

Failure to return the bike within the designated hours of operation results in a $330 fine.

The bikes also incur a hire fee after being used for more than thirty minutes, but the program does allow for people to ride all day without paying if bikes are returned within the free, half-hour intervals.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> CityCycle hire scheme will cost ratepayers more than $1.6 million

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Lord Mayor defends CityCycle amid profit fall

[#Metro]

They need to make it turn up and go.

[minbrisbane]

100% - Almost everyday I see tourists trying to use the bikes, but can't quite figure it out.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> It's time to give up on CityCyle

[HappyTrainGuy]

In the past two months I've spent many mornings wandering around the city trying to find a station which isn't full of bikes. One morning I'd walked 25 minutes around the city trying to find an available space, the amusement of workers in the CBD adding to my frustration as they watched me wheel around the big, heavy yellow bikes, increasingly agitated.

Riding a bike.... you're doing it wrong. No wonder why CBD workers thought it was amusing to see you walking around the city with a bicycle.

[red dragin]

Big W sell adults bikes for around $100 now, if you get two years out of one your in front of the annual subscription fee (and riding a lighter bike).

We just bought two brand new Giant cycles, ~$500 each. There are no CityCycles in our area, even if there where we still would have bought the bikes.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> CityCycle's losses hidden from view

[minbrisbane]

Matic 'it's no different to the bus network...'

Does this mean there will soon be a $100 citycycle levy on ratepayers?

Oh god save us.

[#Metro]

It is painfully clear that the Councillors at BCC don't know squat about anything remotely transport related.

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

31st August 2013

Why is CityCycle not reaching its full potential?

Greetings,

CityCycle has problems because the scheme is primarily designed to serve politicians' needs to have a large, publicly prominent and symbolic project that symbolises green credentials and Brisbane keeping up with other international cities such as London and Paris, rather than fundamentally serving needs of the customers who use it.

This is the key insight that explains not only this but also the Maroon CityGlider which goes against fundamentally sound transport network planning.

The main issues with CityCycle are:

*  Difficulty of signing up (not "turn up and go")
*  The need to wear a helmet
*  Unsafe streets
*  Diabolical marketing
*  Pricing structure

Integration with GoCard is a step in the right direction but even this requires pre-registration.

It is becoming increasingly clear that BCC cannot be trusted to run buses, ferries or CityCycle.

Quote

    "The network is not about making money, it's about subsidised public transport," he said. "The system is no different to the bus network, ultimately it's subsidised and an important part of the city's public transport network." - Cr Peter Matic.


Firstly, the purpose of subsidies to the bus network is to pay for community service obligations to run services for those without a car, those legally unable to drive or physically unable to walk. CityCycle, being a project within the inner city where buses already serve this community service obligation means that CityCycle subsidies cannot be justified in the same way as subsidies to the bus system. Instead, what CityCycle's losses mean in this case is that the scheme is not meeting the needs of its customers, the council has botched it and it needs changes to pricing and sign up processes pronto.

Secondly, CityCycle is not public transport but active transport. The definition of public transport is where the vehicle can be hired by multiple passengers of the general public. Given that a bicycle accommodates just one person it is not public transport as Cr Matic claims.

Thirdly, BCC has presented no evidence that CityCycle has significantly reduced car congestion or takes cars off the road. We believe that it is more likely to convert existing public transport users and people who walk rather than impact car users due to its slow speed and utility over only short distances, thus having no impact on car congestion.

Best wishes
Robert

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

References:

CityCycle's losses hidden from view
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/citycycles-losses-hidden-from-view-20130827-2so5a.html

Why is Brisbane CityCycle an unmitigated flop?
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/theurbanist/2012/10/09/why-is-brisbane-citycycle-an-unmitigated-flop/

Is Brisbane CityCycle 'designed' to fail?
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/theurbanist/2012/10/02/is-brisbanes-citycycle-designed-to-fail/

[ozbob]

Regatta Ferry Stop Toowong CityCyles ..



Photograph R Dow 15th October 2013

[johnnigh]

Regatta Ferry Stop Toowong CityCyles ..



Photograph R Dow 15th October 2013

Well, I never! All those mornings I ride the Bicentennial Bikeway, and I've never known there was a City Cycle stand hidden down there!

The CBDBUG is advocating not only abolition of helmet compulsion for CC (partially supported by BCC in their submission to the Parliamentary enquiry) but also removal of the 10pm closing time, a ridiculous and stultifying restriction unknown to any other similar scheme, even the other 26 schemes run by JCDecaux.

Council cannot keep on subsidising City Cycle at the current rate. These two simple and virtually cost-free measures would go most of the way to salvaging it. The third would be to make hiring a simple matter of swiping a credit card, or, at worst, a Go Card.

These measures would make the administration of the scheme pretty much identical to the most successful schemes.

And for compulsory-helmet foamers, note that even the London scheme has experienced zero serious injury events - these bikes are slow, extremely visible and don't excite motorists to irrational rage like my type of bike does.

[ozbob]

If active cyclists are not aware of it (sort of hidden) what hope the mug punter?

Thought it was a bit isolated hence the happy snap!

:bi

[ozbob]

A brief mention on 612 ABC Brisbane radio this  morning by Cr Simmonds that City Cycle is to go to 24 hour operation for a trial over summer ...

[johnnigh]

A pretty quick response to the CBDBUG's letter and media last Friday!

[beauyboy]

Robert can you recall what show it was menstioned on?

[ozbob]

Robert can you recall what show it was menstioned on?

612 ABC Brisbane Breakfast with Spencer Howson, Cr Simmonds was being interviewed about Walter Taylor bridge tours.  It was a final supplementary interview point towards the end of the interview.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> CityCycles available around the clock

CityCycles will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week in a trial aimed at increasing patronage on the troubled bicycle hire network.

Public and Active Transport chairman Peter Matic said the three-month, round-the-clock trial would begin on December 1 in response to feedback from users.

Presently bikes can be hired between 5am and 10pm though they are able to be returned to stations at any time of day.

"Council continues to work with its scheme partner, JCDecaux, on identifying ways to make CityCycle even easier to use and there is the opportunity during summer when daylight often occurs before 5am for more people to take an early morning bike ride," he said.
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"This three-month trial of expanded operational hours will be closely monitored and if the scheme is being well utilised during these new hours without negative impacts on local residents or businesses then we will consider making it a permanent change."

Opposition leader Milton Dick said the trial was too little, too late with many users already turned off the scheme.

"When the LNP first introduced the CityCycle scheme, they said ratepayers will only pay $1.5 million to set up the scheme," he said.

"Since 2009/2010 the LNP Council Administration has poured $13.97 million into the CityCycle scheme with $2.9 million spent this financial year.

"Tipping more money into the CityCycle 'black hole' has to stop."

Cr Matic said more than 220,000 trips had been taken on CityCycle bikes in the past year, compared to about 82,000 in its first year.

The controversy-plagued program has been altered significantly since its launch in October 2010.

Subscription fees were slashed, corporate and express subscriptions were introduced and phone sign-ups were made available when two out of three bikes were lying idle after eight months.

A courtesy helmet initiative was also introduced and in late 2012 CityCycle hire was linked with TransLink's Go Card, leading to a further boost in patronage. 

By July 2013, 2500 extra trips were being made per month than in December 2012.

In August, Cr Matic was spruiking an impressive 41 per cent jump in patronage in the 2012/13 financial year but refused to disclose how much money the scheme made.

Figures provided by council showed the 2000-bike network cost ratepayers $973,000 to operate last year but Cr Matic declined to answer questions about its financial viability.

He said the scheme fit with the LNP administration's green credentials.

"The network is not about making money, it's about subsidised public transport," he said.

"The system is no different to the bus network, ultimately it's subsidised and an important part of the city's public transport network."

[Gazza]

these bikes are slow

Understatment of the century. Feels like the thing is constantly going to tip over because of how heavy it is, and they are only 3 speed, so any sort of hill is awful with them.

[newbris]

these bikes are slow

Understatment of the century. Feels like the thing is constantly going to tip over because of how heavy it is, and they are only 3 speed, so any sort of hill is awful with them.

Wuss


Source: http://www.brisbanecyclist.com/photo/citycycles-on-mount-coot-tha?context=latest

[minbrisbane]

these bikes are slow

Understatment of the century. Feels like the thing is constantly going to tip over because of how heavy it is, and they are only 3 speed, so any sort of hill is awful with them.

I usually manage ok with speed on a flat, but uphill (I ride up Creek St from Elizabeth St to Ann St) the three speed is quite bad.

[#Metro]

EVERY bike available for hire under Brisbane City Council's beleaguered CityCycle scheme is costing ratepayers more than $520 a year.

A financial breakdown of the scheme provided by the council's town clerk, shows each of the 1040 bicycles is being subsidised at a cost of $132.04 a quarter.

The number of bikes for hire is due to rise to 2000 by the end of the year, increasing the total cost to ratepayers to $264,080 a quarter.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/brisbanes-citycycle-scheme-costs-520-per-bike-per-year-as-less-than-one-in-five-used/story-e6freoof-1226069746308