More and more Aucklanders are turning to cycling, with environmental charity EcoMatters reporting record visitor numbers at the nine Bike Hubs it operates across Tāmaki Makaurau.
The Grey Lynn Bike Hub alone saw 661 visitors and helped people to fix 206 bikes during March. That contributed to a milestone month across the nine Bike Hubs that EcoMatters runs.
Together, these nine hubs welcomed a record 4,800 visitors, fixed almost 2,000 bikes, and sold the most ever refurbished donated bikes.
"Visitor numbers are up 25 per cent compared to the same time last year. It really shows that more and more Aucklanders want to cycle around their city," says EcoMatters Environment Trust CEO Carla Gee.
Supported by Auckland Transport and local boards, the Bike Hubs take a hands-on approach. Team members and volunteers work alongside visitors to teach basic bike maintenance, so people have the skills to keep their bikes functioning and safe. The team also restores donated bikes for resale, keeping them out of landfill.
"While rising fuel costs have certainly sparked new interest in cycling, these record numbers are also part of a longer-term pattern of growth," says EcoMatters Bike Hubs manager Brent Bielby.
EcoMatters conceived and developed the Bike Hub model with a vision to support more resilient and sustainable transport options. It opened its first site in New Lynn in April 2017.
From there, it opened further sites across Auckland and supported other groups to get started.
“The response we’ve seen from our visitors shows the Bike Hub model is a great resource for communities,” says Bielby.
More recently, Auckland Transport has taken on a coordinator role, overseeing and supporting the development of a regional network of hubs.
The initiative has since won national and regional awards for sustainability leadership and waste reduction.
"The Bike Hubs have genuinely changed lives by breaking down barriers so that anyone, regardless of experience or budget, can get on a bike. Our March visitor numbers show that this is even more important now, with increasing fuel prices,” says Bielby.
EcoMatters Bike Hubs also provide local safe cycling guidance around their neighbourhoods and seven hubs run a scheme where people can borrow ebikes for a free two week loan.
“That’s the difference between a lap around a car park and actually discovering how an ebike could work for your commute, your school run or your weekend. For a lot of people that’s the moment everything clicks,” says Bielby.
Demand for the ebike loan scheme is also very high at the moment.
"We're grateful to our long-term funders, our dedicated team and volunteers, everyone who has donated a bike, and every single person who has walked through our doors for helping get these hubs to where they are today," says Gee.
Pictured: Visitor numbers are increasing at bike hubs across the city, including at Grey Lynn Bike Hub, as fuel price increases spark more interest in cycling.
