Canberra’s Action buses will get more bike racks with 80 percent of the fleet covered by June 30
May 2, 2012
Canberra’s penchant for cycling rolls on to its bus fleet with more bike racks being fitted onto the Australian Capital Territory’s Action buses.
ACT Chief Minister Katy Gallagher says 80 percent of Action buses will be fitted with bike racks by June 30.
“The ACT Government is committed to providing bike and ride options for Canberrans as an easy, environmentally friendly and healthy means for people to use their bike to access public transport,” Gallagher says.
The ACT has the highest level of bike racks on buses in Australia, currently with 73 percent of the bus fleet fitted with bike racks.
Gallagher says the ACT Government is on track to achieve its goal to cover 80 percent of the fleet – 342 buses – by the end of the financial year.
By June 30, $336,000 will have been spent on attaching bike racks to the front of the Action low floor bus fleet.
“This will be a significant achievement in boosting the sustainable transport options in the ACT,” Gallagher says.
“The majority of bus routes and services will provide patrons with the option to ride their bike to the bus stop and store it on the bus for the journey.”
Gallagher says it’s not possible to fit bike racks on every bus, particularly large capacity buses, due to turning circle restrictions which would require modification to intersections and roundabouts.
“While all new buses on order will be built so they are capable of being fitted with bike racks, the larger capacity buses will not be fitted,” she says.
Action will prioritise bike rack equipped buses to high-frequency routes.
“Their goal is to achieve the right balance between meeting patronage demand by scheduling large capacity buses while also providing bike-rack equipped buses at regular intervals,” says Gallagher.
Each bike rack holds two bikes free of charge. Patrons pay the normal bus fare to travel on the bus.
“In addition to providing bike racks on buses, the ACT Government is also providing various other facilities for Canberrans to bike and ride, ” Gallagher says.
“We have a range of options for cyclists, including numerous bike rails, bike storage cages and lockers installed across the ACT for use free of charge.”