Wellington bike racks on buses back in action
Cyclists can once again use bike racks on the front of Metlink buses from Tuesday 1 July, with all buses now compliant with Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) requirements.
Of the 488 buses in the Metlink fleet, 190 required modification to adhere to NZTA guidance issued in October last year: ensuring bike racks do not obscure bus headlamps, enabling full visibility in all weather conditions and during hours of darkness, including when travelling through tunnels.
Metlink group manager Samantha Gain says it was important that people had confidence in when and where bike racks could be used.
“Metlink had the largest number of vehicles in the country to test and modify to adhere to the requirements,” says Gain.
“We are glad to see bike racks on buses in use again. While those buses that needed it were modified, we suspended use of bike racks on all buses so that passengers were not having to guess which racks could be used when.
Cyclists can now have confidence that bike racks on Metlink buses are available at any time of day, and on any bus route. We understand the absence of bike racks was inconvenient and thank passengers for their patience.
The bike racks on buses provide passengers with greater opportunity for active transport says Greater Wellington Transport Committee chair, Thomas Nash.
“Bike racks encourage people to incorporate cycling into their daily travel and offer more flexibility of transport choice,” says Cr Nash.
“We are committed to reducing all road transport-generated carbon emissions by 35% by 2030 and giving people more low-emission transport options is a key part of this goal. Bikes and public transport are great together and we are very glad to see the bike racks back in action.”
For more information visit our Bikes & Scooters page.