Electric hire bike scheme could be here to stay says expert
A NEW hire bike scheme has launched in Sydney. Despite the problems of the last year, one transport expert reckons Lime bikes could be here to stay.
Central Sydney
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A NEW hire bike scheme has launched in Sydney.
American company Lime dropped 300 of its electric bicycles across the city last Friday with hundreds more promised over the coming weeks.
San Francisco-based Lime is following in the footsteps of the likes of Ofo and Reddy Go who pulled out of Sydney earlier this year.
However, transport expert Michiel Bliemer told Central Sydney that this time the bikes could be here to stay.
The company claims it has had a presence in the city for six months in order to learn from the mistakes of competitors.
All of its bikes are electric, which experts say make the business model more sustainable.
The company says it cannot afford to have bikes dumped or stolen and so has fitted them with GPS sensors.
The bikes also have an anti-tilt sensor to notify staff when they have been dumped on their side.
Weighing in at 35kg they are also less likely to be found dumped in trees.
The company has employed 50 full time staff in Sydney to manage the scheme.
Professor Bliemer, from the University of Sydney, is one of the leading figures on urban transport in Australia.
He said Sydney has “great potential” to be a cycling city and said Lime could be the company to realise that potential.
“The other schemes didn’t discuss and work with local government about how best to place their bikes,” he said.
“But Lime appear to be working more closely with them. If they are well managed, they have a good chance of succeeding.”
One of the main problems of previous schemes was that users were dumping the bikes, particularly at the eastern beaches, as they didn’t want to have to cycle back uphill.
“All the bikes are electric,” Prof Bliemer added. “As long as they are powerful enough to get up hills then we shouldn’t see the same problem with them being dumped.”
However, he said the problem of cycle parking could be the company’s downfall.
“That is still going to be the big issue for the community. The real solution is that the government needs to create dedicated parking spaces for cycles, just like they do for share cars.
“It would not be difficult to sacrifice one parking space. Think how many bikes you could get in just one space.”
Users must download the Lime app to use the bikes. It then cost $1 to unlock one of the bikes and then 30 cents per minute.
Prof Bliemer said Lime faces a tough challenge to change the perception of cycle hire schemes.
“They need to convince the public that they are different,” he said.
A City of Sydney spokesman said Lime has committed to operating within the guidelines developed by inner Sydney councils last year.
“Bike share is an important sustainable transport option for Sydney that can help keep our city moving,” the spokesman said.
“We expect responsible and safe deployment and parking of bikes, and rider education.
“We encourage everyone using the bikes to park them responsibly, away from the building line.”
He added: “The NSW government promised legislation to help landholders manage share bikes, and consulted stakeholders on an enforceable code of practice.
“We are looking forward to seeing the regulations and how they will practically apply in Sydney.”
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Lime also offers electric scooter hire schemes in American and the company is said to be in talks with the NSW Government about a trial.
The law would first need to be changed with scooters banned on public roads and footpaths in NSW.
“I tried them when I was in LA and they were fantastic,” Prof Bliemer said. “They are quick and take up less space than electric bikes.”