Melbourne blue bike share scheme scrapped after poor patronage

Melbourne’s bike share scheme will be rolled off the streets for good after cyclists failed to embrace the $2 million-a-year program in large enough numbers.

Melbourne bikes were hardly used in Flinders St. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Melbourne’s blue bike-share scheme will be scrapped after the $2 million-a-year program failed to attract enough riders.

The project, which started in 2010, rolled out 600 bicycles across 50 docking stations in the cities of Melbourne, Yarra and Port Phillip. But the state government last night axed the scheme because each bicycle had on average been used just once a day.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson makes use of Melbourne Bike Share.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, then lord mayor of London, and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger are among those who have been pictured riding the bikes.

Patronage plummeted and never fully recovered when the free tram zone was introduced in 2015 and more commuters took to public transport to travel short distances.

Most successful bike-share schemes across the world attract between three and 10 daily trips per bike.

Roads Minister Jaala Pulford said the scheme had raised the profile of cycling in the city.

“The bikes have reached the end of their functional life and it no longer represents value for money for Victorians,” she said. “By phasing out the bike-share scheme we will create more space on our footpaths for pedestrians and bike parking, which is what regular cyclists and pedestrians tell us is needed in the CBD.”

Terminator Arnold Schwarzenegger carries a Melbourne Bike Share helmet in Docklands. Picture: Jason Edwards

Just 30 per cent of Melbourne Bike Share trips were by commuters, while most were by tourists or recreational riders.

RACV’s general manager of mobility, Elizabeth Kim, said the company had operated the bikes for almost a decade.

“RACV is disappointed with the decision by the Victorian Government to end the Melbourne Bike Share partnership,” she said.

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Passes on the bikes were priced at $3 a day, $8 a week or $60 for a year.

Good Cycles, a social enterprise that finds jobs for disadvantaged people, was subcontracted to maintain the bike fleet and the government will help the transition to other projects.

“It has been a great opportunity for us to provide opportunities for young people,” chief executive Jason Hoernel said. “Like any business, we’re disappointed to see it but also understand these things happen.”

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