Citation

Fishman E, von Wyss M. Road Transp. Res. 2017; 26(2): 50-61.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Australian Road Research Board)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This paper describes the process of accessing the suitability of a bike share program for a low density Australian city (Adelaide). Australia's experience with bike share has been disappointing, with the Brisbane and Melbourne schemes failing to achieve ridership forecasts, in contrast to the success of systems in Europe, North America and Asia. This project sought to capitalise on the lessons learnt from Brisbane and Melbourne, as well as the best practice examples from abroad to design a bike share system for Adelaide. The project upon which this paper is based was commissioned by the City of Adelaide and used a data-led, GIS intensive approach, breaking Adelaide up into the smallest geographical parcels used by the Australian Bureau of Statistics to develop a Bike Share Propensity Index. This Index was made up of attributes known to influence bike share use (e.g. density, demographics, current cycling levels). In addition to this catchment mapping activity, emerging technological opportunities were explored, such as electric assist bicycles, mobile phone activated sign up and integration with smartcard public transport ticketing. Innovative policy measures to support bike share were also developed, including the need to investigate the effectiveness of a helmet waiver for bike share users, enhanced bicycle infrastructure and lower speed limits. This investigation found that it would take around four years for Adelaide to develop the necessary pre-conditions to support a successful bike share scheme. This analysis has found that once the necessary preconditions are met, a bike share scheme would assist Adelaide in achieving its goal of a safer, more sustainable transport system and a more accessible, liveable city.

Language: en