News & Discussion: Cycling

Threads relating to transport, water, etc. within the CBD and Metropolitan area.
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Llessur2002
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Re: News & Discussion: Cycling Infrastructure

#271 Post by Llessur2002 » Wed May 16, 2018 4:31 pm

So obike have gone then. I'm not surprised really - compared to ofo it feels like they only halfheartedly embraced an Adelaide roll out. Their bikes were few and far between and the ones that could be found were usually vandalised.

In contrast, it seems like ofo have changed up another gear in the last few days - they are everywhere now. It seems like a pretty slick operation.
Chinese company wins Adelaide bikeshare monopoly as competitor ordered to leave

The only competitor to bikeshare giant ofo has been told to cease operating in Adelaide, handing the Chinese company an effective monopoly as it lobbies to become a sanctioned private arm of SA’s public transport network.

InDaily can reveal that Singaporean company oBike has removed most of its distinctive, grey-and-yellow hire bicycles from the CBD and North Adelaide after failed to renew its City of Adelaide permit in March.

The Adelaide City Council wrote to oBike this morning, following an inquiry from InDaily yesterday, ordering the company to cease operating as a business within its boundaries and to remove all remaining bicycles from the council’s roads within a week.

The company insists it is yet to decide whether to leave the Adelaide market, but the council says its permit has expired and that oBike has fewer than 10 bicycles left in Adelaide.

“As of today, there are less than 10 oBikes positioned within the Council area, so we believe the company has ceased operating in the City of Adelaide,” a council spokesperson told InDaily this morning.

Competitor ofo has been lobbying the South Australian Government for dedicated bikeshare spaces at train, tram and bus stations, positioning itself as a new, private element of the state’s public transport network.

It has also been lobbying local councils for permission to operate in an expanding area across the state.

OBike’s exit would effectively give ofo a monopoly on the nascent transport mode in Adelaide.

The companies offer GPS-tracked bicycles, which users find using a mobile app, hire at low cost and leave at their destination for the next commuter to use.

The city council has threatened to dispose of oBike’s remaining bicycles if the company fails to remove them.

“Today we have written to oBike to officially state that it must cease operating as a business within the City of Adelaide and to remove any bicycles from council’s roads within a week,” a spokesperson for the council told InDaily this morning.

“In the event that any bicycles are not removed within the specified timeframe, our community safety officers will take action to remove and impound the bicycles and arrange for their appropriate disposal, with any costs being charged to oBike.

“Ofo did renew their permit and continue to operate within permit conditions.”

But an oBike spokesperson told InDaily this afternoon that the company had yet to decide if it was leaving Adelaide, and that: “we are in the preparation stage to fulfill the new permit requirement, i.e. simcard GPS tracking system, and it might take some time”.

Both ofo and oBike started out with 50 bikes when they launched in Adelaide in October last year.

Ofo currently has 200 bikes on the streets of the CBD and North Adelaide “with room to increase”, a spokesperson for the company said.

The number of bicycles allowed in the council’s jurisdiction may be altered, with approval from council staff, in response to changes in demand.

Ofo general manager for Australia, New Zealand and India Dexter Sim told InDaily this afternoon that: “We look forward to continued discussion with the local councils in Adelaide about how we can serve the local community with operational excellence.”

“Our aim is to provide a solution for the last mile commute,and provide a healthy and environmentally friendly way for commuters, families and tourists to travel around the city of Adelaide.”

According to a report in The Advertiser, oBike failed to submit comprehensive monthly reports to the council about the performance of its service earlier this year.

The now-massive global bikeshare industry – which began with a small bikeshare operation at Peking University in 2014 – took a significant hit to its reputation when images of huge piles of abandoned and vandalised, branded bikeshare bikes emerged out of China last year.

The industry also suffered a public relations blow in Australia last year when dozens of oBikes were scooped up from the Yarra River in Melbourne – and some people sought creative ways to dump the bikes, including in trees and on street signs.
From: https://indaily.com.au/news/2018/05/15/ ... tor-flees/

Also, on the subject of cycling infrastructure, it seems like (finally) the shared path on the Outer Harbor rail overpass is close to opening - concrete paths are being laid on the ramps leading up to the overpass from either side of South Road.

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Re: News & Discussion: Cycling Infrastructure

#272 Post by Llessur2002 » Thu May 17, 2018 11:07 am

Ramp leading up to the eastern side of the shared pathway over South Road (photo courtesy of the Westside BUG Facebook group):

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Re: News & Discussion: Cycling Infrastructure

#273 Post by Norman » Fri May 18, 2018 11:30 am

Indaily has reported that the Frome Street Bikeway from Rundle Street to North Terrace won't be done until at least 2019 due to the Adelaideian construction site. No surprise there.

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Re: News & Discussion: Cycling Infrastructure

#274 Post by Llessur2002 » Fri May 18, 2018 3:23 pm

Finally:
As part of the Torrens Road to River Torrens Project, the T2T Alliance will be installing a shared use path bridge across Chief Street, on the northern side of the Outer Harbor rail bridge. These works form part of the Outer Harbor Greenway extension.

The shared use path between Queen Street, Croydon and West Street, Brompton is scheduled to open in late July as part of the T2T Alliance works.

To minimise disruption to traffic, the bridge works will be undertaken between 4am Saturday 26 May and 7pm Sunday 27 May.

To safely undertake these works:

Chief Street will be temporarily closed between Port Road and approximately 100 meters north of First Street
First Street will be temporarily closed at the intersection with Chief Street.

Key activities

Transportation of galvanised bridge structure to site and craning the bridge structure into position.

Cranes, semi-trailers, trucks and light vehicles will be used to perform these works.
From: http://www.t2talliance.com.au/upcoming- ... -may-2018/

I rode this route home last night (I normally ride on Port Road as it cuts out the silly detour around Chief Street) and it's amazing, or at least it will be once it's finished. A spirited rider could ride the to City from Croydon in 10 minutes once this is up and running as it cuts about a kilometer off of the journey :)

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Re: News & Discussion: Cycling Infrastructure

#275 Post by Llessur2002 » Thu May 24, 2018 3:27 pm

Good news that the funding deal is being upheld, bad news that they're still dilly-dallying over the east-west route...
New Govt 'to maintain city bikeways deal'

The new State Government has agreed to honour its predecessor's $12 million bikeways deal, the city council says, but it’s unclear when cyclists can expect the safe-cycling corridors to be complete.

The Government has promised to continue to co-fund construction of the north-south and east-west separated bikeways – even if the Adelaide City Council fails to meet a December 31 deadline on the project.

“We’ve had that undertaking from the Government,” council director of operations Beth Davidson-Park told InDaily this morning.

Both safe-cycling corridors were originally due to be finished by June 2018, but the Weatherill Government agreed to extend the deadline.

As InDaily reported last week, the north-south bikeway will not be finished until after construction is completed on the 36-storey Frome Street Adelaidean hotel complex on Frome Street between Rundle Street and North Terrace – expected to be mid to late 2019.

Davidson-Park told a council meeting this week that works to build an east-west bikeway – proposed for Flinders and Franklin Streets – would not begin until the north-south bikeway is finished.

“We were requested not to commence the engagement through that section (Flinders and Franklin streets) until we had surveyed residents, property owners, ratepayers in and around that precinct,” she said.

“Subsequent to that the CEO (Mark Goldstone) advised members that we would complete the work on north-south and then we would proceed with the next stages of east-west.”

Davidson-Park told councillors this could potentially push the start of the east-west project out to 2020 or later.

But she told InDaily this morning that it was possible that consultation concerning the east-west bikeway could start earlier, once all of the north-south blocks other than the section affected by the Adelaidean development were completed.

In September, the city council selected Flinders and Franklin streets to host the CBD’s east-west separated bikeway and authorised council CEO Mark Goldstone to negotiate contracts to begin works on it.

But within weeks, councillors retreated from public debate on the subject, following claims by the owner of a Flinders Street café that the bikeway would kill his business.

The council postponed design work and formal consultation on the east-west bikeway until it received the results of a survey of local residents, property owners and business owners – excluding other stakeholders.

Asked when cyclists could expect to see the east-west bikeway project underway, Davidson-Park told InDaily this morning: “How long is a piece of string?”

“We put it on hold while we focused on north-south.

“It will all depend on the outcomes of the community engagement.”

The results of the survey – asking, simply “Do you support an east west separated bikeway along Flinders and Franklin St?” – were due back last month.

But Davidson-Park said that the survey “instrument” was yet to be presented to the city council for approval, and sending it to ratepayers would likely be held off until after the north-south bikeway was done.
From: https://indaily.com.au/news/2018/05/24/ ... ways-deal/

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Re: News & Discussion: Cycling Infrastructure

#276 Post by Westside » Fri May 25, 2018 1:36 pm

What a frigging joke!

If this was a plan to widen the streets to 2 lanes the entire stretch it would have been done by now (and we'd all be worse off for it)!

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Re: News & Discussion: Cycling Infrastructure

#277 Post by Llessur2002 » Mon May 28, 2018 9:09 am

The Outer Harbor greenway bridge over Chief Street was lifted into place over the weekend :) Now they've just got to negotiate a route through the corner of the old gasworks site to link the path to East Street in Bowden and the Croydon-parklands route will be complete.

Image

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Granted, it's not the most attractive bridge that I've ever seen but it might well save a life or two by giving cyclists an alternative to Port Road in peak hour traffic.

Photos courtesy of the Westside BUG Facebook page.

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Re: News & Discussion: Cycling Infrastructure

#278 Post by rev » Mon May 28, 2018 10:19 am

Llessur2002 wrote:
Wed May 16, 2018 4:31 pm

Chinese company wins Adelaide bikeshare monopoly as competitor ordered to leave
Competitor ofo has been lobbying the South Australian Government for dedicated bikeshare spaces at train, tram and bus stations, positioning itself as a new, private element of the state’s public transport network.
So this Chinese company wants to become part of the public transport network in Adelaide, with bike share facilities at tram/train/bus stations? Presumably they expect the South Australian tax payer to fund their expansion?
Is this Chinese company like so many others that do business outside of China, corrupt with shady links to Chinese "government" officials?

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Re: News & Discussion: Cycling Infrastructure

#279 Post by rev » Mon May 28, 2018 10:25 am

Westside wrote:
Fri May 25, 2018 1:36 pm
What a frigging joke!

If this was a plan to widen the streets to 2 lanes the entire stretch it would have been done by now (and we'd all be worse off for it)!
Because adding a bike lane and forcing motorists to keep a meter away has left us so much better off, what with the added congestion on our already shit roads.
Great job, appease a tiny minority to the detriment of the majority, just so that annoying whinging minority can have their personal daily tour down under feels as they pretend road rules don't apply to them.

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Re: News & Discussion: Cycling Infrastructure

#280 Post by Llessur2002 » Mon May 28, 2018 10:31 am

rev wrote:
Mon May 28, 2018 10:25 am
Because adding a bike lane and forcing motorists to keep a meter away has left us so much better off, what with the added congestion on our already shit roads.
Great job, appease a tiny minority to the detriment of the majority, just so that annoying whinging minority can have their personal daily tour down under feels as they pretend road rules don't apply to them.
Bit harsh.

As a commuter cyclist I feel the 1m law has done a great deal towards preventing me from being killed or seriously injured through the simple and innocent act of cycling to and from my workplace.

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Re: News & Discussion: Cycling Infrastructure

#281 Post by Waewick » Mon May 28, 2018 10:37 am

Llessur2002 wrote:
Mon May 28, 2018 10:31 am
rev wrote:
Mon May 28, 2018 10:25 am
Because adding a bike lane and forcing motorists to keep a meter away has left us so much better off, what with the added congestion on our already shit roads.
Great job, appease a tiny minority to the detriment of the majority, just so that annoying whinging minority can have their personal daily tour down under feels as they pretend road rules don't apply to them.
Bit harsh.

As a commuter cyclist I feel the 1m law has done a great deal towards preventing me from being killed or seriously injured through the simple and innocent act of cycling to and from my workplace.
As a driver and non cyclist I hope it has made you want to ride more and also get more people riding.

complete win win for everyone if cyclist feel safe and are encouraged to ride their bikes.

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Re: News & Discussion: Cycling Infrastructure

#282 Post by rev » Mon May 28, 2018 10:53 am

Llessur2002 wrote:
Mon May 28, 2018 10:31 am
rev wrote:
Mon May 28, 2018 10:25 am
Because adding a bike lane and forcing motorists to keep a meter away has left us so much better off, what with the added congestion on our already shit roads.
Great job, appease a tiny minority to the detriment of the majority, just so that annoying whinging minority can have their personal daily tour down under feels as they pretend road rules don't apply to them.
Bit harsh.

As a commuter cyclist I feel the 1m law has done a great deal towards preventing me from being killed or seriously injured through the simple and innocent act of cycling to and from my workplace.
I'm not saying we shouldn't have bike lanes or a 1m rule. I'm saying we can't keep cramming more and more onto congested roads, that weren't designed to accommodate a bike lane let alone a meter distance between cyclists in a bike lane and vehicles in other lanes.

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Re: News & Discussion: Cycling Infrastructure

#283 Post by rev » Mon May 28, 2018 10:54 am

Waewick wrote:
Mon May 28, 2018 10:37 am
Llessur2002 wrote:
Mon May 28, 2018 10:31 am
rev wrote:
Mon May 28, 2018 10:25 am
Because adding a bike lane and forcing motorists to keep a meter away has left us so much better off, what with the added congestion on our already shit roads.
Great job, appease a tiny minority to the detriment of the majority, just so that annoying whinging minority can have their personal daily tour down under feels as they pretend road rules don't apply to them.
Bit harsh.

As a commuter cyclist I feel the 1m law has done a great deal towards preventing me from being killed or seriously injured through the simple and innocent act of cycling to and from my workplace.
As a driver and non cyclist I hope it has made you want to ride more and also get more people riding.

complete win win for everyone if cyclist feel safe and are encouraged to ride their bikes.
Sure, it would be a win win, if the majority of cyclists were accountable and obeyed road rules, and if our roads were designed for these new lanes/measures.

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Re: News & Discussion: Cycling Infrastructure

#284 Post by Nathan » Mon May 28, 2018 10:55 am

rev wrote:
Mon May 28, 2018 10:19 am
Llessur2002 wrote:
Wed May 16, 2018 4:31 pm

Chinese company wins Adelaide bikeshare monopoly as competitor ordered to leave
Competitor ofo has been lobbying the South Australian Government for dedicated bikeshare spaces at train, tram and bus stations, positioning itself as a new, private element of the state’s public transport network.
So this Chinese company wants to become part of the public transport network in Adelaide, with bike share facilities at tram/train/bus stations? Presumably they expect the South Australian tax payer to fund their expansion?
Is this Chinese company like so many others that do business outside of China, corrupt with shady links to Chinese "government" officials?
To be fair, they were lobbying to get dedicated generic bike share spaces — available to all bike share operators, not exclusively for themselves (and it preceded oBike pulling the pin). I think it's a smart idea. Bikes are excellent for last mile journeys between train stations and home/work (especially given they take far less space than providing all day car parking), but given the openness and lack of security around most stations, a lot of people would be hesitant to leave their bike there all day. Encouraging bike share would alleviate that concern. I've done it from the Entertainment Centre tram stop (normally I walk, but it was during their free ride promo).

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Re: News & Discussion: Cycling Infrastructure

#285 Post by Llessur2002 » Mon May 28, 2018 11:00 am

Waewick wrote:
Mon May 28, 2018 10:37 am
As a driver and non cyclist I hope it has made you want to ride more and also get more people riding.

complete win win for everyone if cyclist feel safe and are encouraged to ride their bikes.
For me it has certainly made me feel safer on the roads, although I rode regularly before the law was implemented.

However, for my wife, it is one of the main reasons she has recently started commuting by bike too.

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