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Bike SA’s grand vision for Adelaide: The state’s peak recreational cycling body outlines its priorities

UP TO 1000 bicycles for use by the public would be available in the city and inner suburbs under a $3.5 million Bike SA plan. Here is what else the recreational cycling group would like.

UP TO 1000 bicycles for use by the public would be available in the city and inner suburbs under a $3.5 million Bike SA plan.

The state’s peak recreational cycling body has identified the bike-share scheme as part of its priority projects ahead of next month’s federal election.

Under the plan, members of the public could hire bikes at a low cost for short trips around the CBD and inner suburbs, including in the Burnside, Unley and Norwood, Payneham & St Peters districts.

Unlike the Adelaide Free Bikes scheme — predominantly used for day trips by tourists and where the bicycle needs to be returned to the pick-up point — bikes could be left at “stations” close to the commuter’s destination.

Bike SA chief executive Christian Haag said bike sharing was designed for commuters as an alternative transport option for short trips.

“Say you want to travel from the CBD to Norwood Town Hall, rather than catching a cab or bus, you could ride the bike,” Mr Haag said.

The network would include 1000 bikes and stations.

“The technology would allow those stations to be transferable, meaning they could be moved to meet demand,” Mr Haag said.

The bike-sharing concept was founded in Europe in the 1960s, and has expanded to include a worldwide network of more than 800,000 bicycles in 50 countries.

Bike SA costed the projects after the release of the Federal Greens’ transport plan, which included $100 million for cycling in SA over the next four years.

The cycling group’s priorities included $6.4 million to extend the Frome St bikeway, $4.6 million for separated cycling lane on Pirie St to Waymouth St and $250,000 to promote the Mount Lofty Ranges as an international mountain bike destination.

The Eastern Courier Messenger last month reported more than 6000 residents in the Unley district walked or cycled to work, the highest proportion of any metropolitan council.

Labor’s candidate for Adelaide, Kate Ellis, supported a bike-sharing network around the city.

But she said it was unlikely the Federal Government would fund such a scheme.

“If local councils and groups come to us with this type of idea it, we would do everything we can do to look at securing grant funding — and we have shown we can do this,” Ms Ellis said.

Liberal candidate David Colovic did not comment on the merits of a bike-sharing scheme, but said a re-elected Coalition Federal Government would deliver “integrated transport solutions”, including for cycling.

Greens candidate Sophie Guy said investment in cycling would encourage more people to “enjoy the beautiful city of Adelaide in a more healthy way”.

French-born Unley resident Caroline Herman has used a bike-share scheme in her homeland.

“I used to live about 6km out of Toulouse and it was great … if we wanted to go to the city to grab a drink with friends we would take a bike,” Ms Herman said.

“The stations would have been maximum 200m apart, so it was very convenient.”

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Original URL: https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/messenger/east-hills/bike-sas-grand-vision-for-adelaide-the-states-peak-recreational-cycling-body-outlines-its-priorities/news-story/05750cdfcd68430e2166fd6836d60ddc