PEOPLE will soon be able to hire a bicycle when travelling in the Joondalup city centre.
The City of Joondalup has partnered with urbi for a one-year trial where bike-share facilities will be rolled out at various locations.
Urbi founder Adrian Lee said the first sites would be established at Joondalup Health Campus to “allow hospital staff to try the bikes”.
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READ NOW“This is an important milestone prior to stations being rolled out for stage one of a one-year trial, while the official launch of the trial is expected in the coming months,” he said.
“Urbi bikes are a fantastic way to get around and many people will find them quicker and easier than cars or buses.
“We have every confidence the community will embrace the Joondalup trial and soon urbi bikes will be seen in many Perth suburbs.”
This is the first time a local government has undertaken this type of community transport initiative in WA in conjunction with a private operator.
According to a council document, users will be able to hire a bike using the urbi smart phone app or the touch screen installed at the stations.
They will then be given a code for the bicycle lock to give them access.
Rides are limited to 45 minutes per trip, but can be extended using the app or touch screen, and bikes can be returned to a different station at the end of the trip.
Other possible locations will include Lakeside Joondalup, ECU and the Central Walk carpark.
The use of the bikes will be monitored through a control centre, which will also manage the maintenance and servicing of the bikes to ensure they are available at each station, with staff on call to take payments and answer any queries.
Should the control centre recognise a station as having limited bikes available, a truck can deliver more bicycles if required.
Joondalup Mayor Troy Pickard said the facilities were in line with the City’s Bike Plan, which has a vision for Joondalup to be recognised as the “bike-friendly City” in WA.
“Promoting bike use as a more commonly used form of transport through this WA-first initiative will result in a greener, safer, less congested and more liveable City,” he said.
Urbi has recently assembled 250 bikes in its Perth warehouses for the Joondalup bike-share initiative.
The trial will be at no cost to the City.
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