Addventageous and the Parramatta Bike Hub are working with researchers from the University of Sydney and the City of Parramatta to deliver a valuable research project for Western Sydney. It’s called the Transformers e-bike trial, and we invite the community to get involved.
Research in Australia and other parts of the world has shown that if people are given the opportunity to get onto an e-bike, their whole approach to transport and mobility can change. This trial offers Parramatta residents, students, and workers the chance to test out e-bike travel.
The City of Parramatta is a perfect place to run this trial as there are so many excellent pieces of biking infrastructure available for all to use. Being based out of the Parramatta Bike Hub in Silverwater means that participants will have a local place to connect with for advice, support and route planning.
The e-bike trial starts with a pilot program on 11 January 2025, and the full program will start on 1 March 2025.
Once selected for the program, each participant will:
Get a trial of an e-bike or e-cargo bike for a small weekly fee
Be invited to participate in a 4-week bicycle skills training course
2-months of cycling insurance through Bicycle NSW
Have the option to join community bike rides
Will be encouraged to join the online Parramatta Bike Hub community
This equates to around $1000 worth of value subsided by the trial.
The trial aims to get the right bike to fit each participant's needs. If the participant is a parent with small children, we can arrange a cargo e-bike to suit their needs. If the participant is a student, we can arrange a model that fits their lifestyle. By working with local bike suppliers and product providers, the project team have collected the best of the best to give participants a positive e-bike experience.
The Parramatta Bike Hub handles all the logistics of getting the bikes out West – there’s no need for those involved in the trial to go into the city. With the pickup in a familiar location, participants can ride their e-bike home after their first skills training session.
Being part of a trial means the project team will conduct surveys and track e-bike usage. This information will help us establish how well the trial is going and how we can improve the program for those who follow.
To be eligible for the trial, you must:
Live, work or study in the City of Parramatta
Already be able to ride a bicycle
Have the facilities to store your e-bike securely when not in use
Make a small contribution each week towards the cost of the e-bike
Be willing to participate in a survey about your experiences
We encourage you to register for the program if this sounds like you. Spaces are limited in each group, so getting involved is important now. Once registered, the project team will evaluate all the applications and send out invitations to participate.
We look forward to bringing the sustainable mobility revolution to Parramatta.
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