Stations on track for more pedal power

06/04/2008

Cycling to train stations has become a more attractive option with the installation of new Lock ‘n’ Ride Bike Hubs at some of Perth’s busiest train stations.

Opening a new bike hub at Armadale Train Station today, Planning and Infrastructure Minister and Armadale MLA Alannah MacTiernan said the new hubs provided convenient and secure parking right outside the station doors.

“Cycling is an important part of our public transport system as it makes a significant contribution towards less congested car parks and a cleaner environment,” Ms MacTiernan said.

“Operating like the Lock ‘n’ Ride car parks, the bike hubs will be locked at 9am and reopened at 3.30pm, providing secure bike parking throughout weekdays.”

The Minister said the new bike hubs encouraged cycling and provided passengers with another alternative to driving to a station.

“Recent surveys of train station car parks have found that about 60 per cent of vehicles parked have driven less than three kilometres,” she said.

“We believe there’s an opportunity for more people to cycle - particularly from less than three kilometres, which can be ridden in under 10 minutes.

“We also know that 53 per cent of Western Australians own a bike and that we are the highest regular users of bikes in the country.

“In the next 12 months, we will also consider what opportunities there may be for SmartRider swipe card access, so they can be accessed any time.

Operational bike hubs have been installed at Armadale and Greenwood train stations and can currently hold 16 and 25 bikes respectively.

Lock ‘n’ Ride Bike Hubs are also being installed along the Mandurah train station at Mandurah, Warnbro, Rockingham, Kwinana, Cockburn Central, Murdoch, Bull Creek, Perth Central and Esplanade Station.

Ms MacTiernan said secure bike hubs that could hold up to 32 bikes each were also being built at all stations on the Mandurah line, excluding Canning Bridge and Wellard.

“The new bike hubs are an addition to the existing secure bike lockers and U-rails provided right across our train and bus network,” she said.

“In the last six months, the State Government has committed more than $500,000 towards cycling infrastructure at our train stations.”

Since 2001, the State Government has invested more than $86million in cycling infrastructure and has built 642km of new bike paths.

A new awareness campaign encouraging passengers to walk, cycle or catch a bus to train stations on the Mandurah line to address parking issues began this week.