Frankston First Regional City to Trial Neuron e-Bikes

Frankston, VIC

Frankston has become the first Victorian city, and Australia’s first non-metropolitan centre, to introduce a Neuron Mobility e-bike share scheme, launching a 12-month trial in January.

Neuron is operating a fleet of 150 safety-first pedal-assisted e-bikes to hire across the 23 square kilometre City of Frankston district.

Frankston City Mayor Nathan Conroy said the e-bikes would be easily accessible for residents and visitors.

“The pilot scheme will create around 15 jobs locally and could be expanded depending on demand. If the community loves the program it will help inform and influence decision making regarding bike paths and cycle lanes in the future,” he said.

“For residents, the program opens up different routes and parts of the city that they might not normally frequent.”

Frankston City Council CEO Phil Cantillon said the trial was another example of Frankston City pioneering the latest smart technology as part of its Smart Cities program, part of its Future Ready Frankston strategy.

“They will provide our community and visitors with greater access to environmentally-friendly transport options, reducing the reliance on cars for short journeys. As a zero-emissions transport initiative, certified by the Carbon Reduction Institute, they also fit in perfectly with Frankston City Council’s Zero Emissions strategy,” Mr Cantillon said.

Neuron’s Head of Australia and New Zealand, Richard Hannah, said the Frankston landscape provided a superb environment for pedal-assisted e-bikes, with its numerous bike trails, stunning foreshore scenery and numerous parks and open spaces.

“Our pedal-assisted e-bike program is very different from previous bike-sharing schemes,” Richard said.

“We have operations teams working around the clock changing batteries, safety checking, cleaning the e-bikes and moving them to where they are needed most. We also use GPS technology to control where the e-bikes go and to ensure they are parked responsibly.”