Auckland Transport media release

18 May 2017

Cycle share on the agenda for Auckland

With big numbers of people taking to two wheels and stunning new cycling infrastructure around the city, Auckland Transport thinks the time is right to investigate options for a cycle share scheme to run in Auckland’s city centre.

Working together with the NZ Transport Agency, Auckland Transport has begun a feasibility study into how a city centre cycle share scheme could operate. This includes looking at how it could be funded and what sort of bikes would be used as well as the range of new technologies now available and being used around the world.

Mayor Phil Goff says, “Cycling is on the rise in Auckland. Bikes now make up 9.4 percent of inbound morning peak traffic on Upper Queen Street which shows just how significant this mode of transport is becoming for Auckland.

“I welcome the Government working with Auckland Transport to investigate the potential for a cycle share scheme in Auckland at scale. It shows we are serious about making Auckland a bike-friendly city, increasing the modes of transport available to Aucklanders and reducing congestion on our roads.”

Manager of Walking, Cycling and Road Safety for Auckland Transport, Kathryn King says, “By the end of next year we will have completed a number of vital links for people travelling into and around the city centre by bike. This, combined with international evidence that cycle share schemes work when they are done right, means that now is the perfect time to begin these investigations.”

Auckland Transport expects the initial findings of the feasibility study will be available around the end of September. The information gathered during this study phase would help inform the next steps. If there is a strong case for a cycle share scheme for Auckland the next step would be for Auckland Transport to talk to potential providers with a view to delivering the scheme in the summer of 2019/20. Budget is set aside for this project but no cost is yet set as Auckland Transport expects to run a competitive process to appoint a company to undertake the study.

Please see attached fact sheet for more information including a timeline.

ENDS

ATNZTA_Cycle_Share_Factsheet_F.PDF

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