Thirty confiscated oBikes to be turned into scrap metal

THIRTY of Melbourne’s controversial share bikes that were dumped around the city have been carted away for recycling.

THIRTY of Melbourne’s controversial share bikes that were dumped around the city have been carted away for recycling.

The yellow oBikes were confiscated and not claimed so will be turned into scrap metal at a Blackburn depot.

Read more: Dumped share bikes taken from streets, impounded

Share bikes found dumped on raft in Albert Park Lake

Since the dockless cycles were introduced in the city in June, the yellow machines have been left up trees, on cars, in gutters and thrown in the river.

Last week, 42 bikes were fished out of the Yarra River.

30 dumped oBikes are taken away for recycling. Picture: Tony Gough

A truck full of dumped oBikes. Picture: Tony Gough

The ones impounded by the council were found to have blocked footpaths, doorways or driveways.

They were held for seven days but oBikes Australia did not stump up the $50 fee to collect the cycles.

But Chethan Rangaswamy, marketing head of oBike Australia, was unaware the bikes were being taken away.

“We haven’t received any notification.

“Once they send an invoice, we can then pay them and get out operations team out to collect them,’’ he said.

Up to 15 per cent, or more than 150, of the original 1250 bikes had been vandalised, he said.

oBikes pulled from the Yarra River. Picture: Facebook

An oBike left up a tree on Stubbs St, Kensington. Picture: Supplied

A car was car was damaged after oBike was thrown onto its roof. Picture: Supplied

“But only about 1 per cent had been lost.’’

“It’s frustrating to see isolated incidents influencing the whole take-up process of bicycle sharing,’’ Mr Rangaswamy said.

“It’s an uphill battle, we understand that.’’

The bikes retrieved from the Yarra had been taken back to the company’s warehouse and were still being assessed for future use.

Managers from the Singapore-based company were meeting Environment Protection Agency officials this week.

There seems to be a lot of Obikes in the Yarra River. #obike pic.twitter.com/l6oUKpYFUG

— Mrs Emily (@EmilyPottsy) September 23, 2017

Went fishing in the Yarra this arvo. Caught myself a silver-bellied, yellow-tailed oFish. Ugh! Some people... Why we can't have nice things. pic.twitter.com/Idbtr5swtC

— The Living Cycle (@thelivingcycle) September 23, 2017

Really looking forward to the outcomes of this bold urban ecology project to increase exercise rates for arboreal mammals #wildoz #obike pic.twitter.com/3BFz9Gr6RK

— Tom Fairman (@itsnotfairman) October 2, 2017

The company is working on an agreement with Melbourne, Yarra and Port Phillip councils over the operation of the bikes.

More than 80 damaged bikes have been collected by oBike from the City of Port Phillip.

Port Phillip Mayor Bernadene Voss said the council would step in if oBike hadn’t responded quickly enough to concerns about bikes being a safety hazard or an obstruction.

Lord Mayor Robert Doyle has described the share bikes as “urban clutter”.

The Singapore-based company launched in Melbourne in June, mostly in the CBD but users have ridden them to many other inner-city suburbs.

@IanRoyall

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