Auckland Transport (AT) is pausing plans to invest in a cycle share scheme, following the recent success of privately funded cycle share schemes in the city.
In August 2017, AT began a business case to investigate the feasibility of investing in a public cycle share system in Auckland city centre and fringe. The business case indicates that there is a clear demand from customers to make short journeys by bicycle, and a scheme would make an important contribution to improving accessibility within Auckland.
Commercial operators to provide cycle share services
Privately funded cycle share service, OnzO, launched in late October. They have attracted over 13,000 active members, who have taken over 62,000 trips. OnzO intends to increase the number of bicycles for the third time.
AT’s Walking, Cycling and Road Safety Manager Kathryn King says the decision has been made to allow the commercial sector to provide the service.
“At this stage, we are very keen to see how commercial operators provide cycle share in Auckland and support them to do so. When we started looking at the feasibility of supporting a cycle share system to develop, the market in Auckland was limited.
“Since October, the landscape has changed and rather than supporting a service that would require ratepayer funding to establish at scale, we want to support commercial operators to do so and see what kind of service works best on the ground in Auckland,” Miss King says.
“As well as OnzO, there has been some interest from other organisations and we will continue to work closely with Auckland Council to licence them to deliver the best outcomes for Auckland.”
Support could include AT providing cycle share parking at key public transport hubs to enable first and last leg cycling trips.
A cycle share system in Auckland can be an asset to the city and provide good transport outcomes because it:
- encourages public transport by providing first and last leg options
- provides for short journeys within the city centre and fringe
- and provides visitors with options to explore the city and waterfront.
If the commercial sector does not deliver the outcomes that AT believe need to be achieved, or if they exit the market, AT would consider progressing with its own detailed business case.
