WHAT CAN COUNCILS DO to encourage citizens to use public transport and leave the car at home?

For Manly Council, the answer was to seek corporate sponsorship and start its own mini-bus service ‚ the Hop Skip & Jump buses.

Supported by property developer Stockland, Council operates a number of small buses to a regular timetable to link Manly CBD with other local centres such as the Balgowlah and Seaforth shops and the swimming pool. The service has created employment for drivers, and best of all for Manly locals, it’s free to travel.

Manly Council's Hop Skip & Jump bus provides free services around the municipality.

Bicycling, too

It’s not unusual for Manly locals to cycle from home to catch the ferry to city workplaces and to do the return journey of evenings. But what to do with bicycles left all day in Manly?

Council responded to the need for secure, sheltered parking when it removed a number of car parking spaces in its Whistler Street carpark, which is near the ferry wharf, and built a caged, enclosed amd lockable bicycle part — Cycle Central.

It’s not a free service. Users pay a one-time $50 fee and receive a magnetic keycard that allows 24 hour use of the parking facility. Inside, bicycles can be locked to racks.

Cycle Central — Manly Council's secure bicycle parking facility in the Whistler Street carpark. A simple, effective solution to a community need.

Simple often effective

Simple initiative like the Hop Skip & Jump buses and Cycle Central are often the most effective of services that help people change their travel behaviour so that it contributes more to sustainability solutions.

Rating

INNOVATION/DESIGN THINKING: Medium.

A partial solution to carbon emission reduction, reducing traffic congestion and the need for personal movement around the local area.

SCALABILITY POTENTIAL: High.

REPLICABILITY: High. Existing technology. Just add imagination and motivation.