Biking and Micro-mobility Programme

Overview

Help us to create Hamilton’s Biking and Micro-mobility Programme.  Micro-mobility is referring to e-scooters and e-skateboards. This programme will look at ways to encourage people to bike, e-scoot or skate safely and enjoyably around our great river city. 

With more and more people calling Hamilton home, we need to make sure our streets and neighbourhoods support this growth, now and into the future. Our vision is for a city that’s safe, fun and easy to get around – no matter how you choose to travel.

WHAT IS THE PROGRAMME ABOUT?

This programme is a long-term, city-wide plan to encourage biking and micro-mobility (for example, bikes, e-scooters and e-skateboards) as safe and attractive transport options for people to get around.

Planning and providing for people on bikes, e-scooters and e-skateboards is an important part of a well-rounded transport network. It supports Council's priority of being a city that's easy to live in and the long-term transport strategy, Access Hamilton, including our goal of building healthier, more connected communities.

While this programme is focused on bikes, e-scooters and e-skateboards, we are also committed to improving other transport modes such as walking and public transport.

CREATING THE PROGRAMME

We have grouped possible ways to develop a programme into four different themes. These themes have been created together with our partners and stakeholders, drawing on previous community engagement, surveys, data sources and local and international best practice.

Let us know what would encourage you to consider getting on a bike, e-scooter or e-skateboard.

Share your voice and shape your city by 29 November.

We'll take this feedback to help shape a programme that will likely include a wide range of projects and actions. For example new cycleways, safety and education initiatives, as well as supporting policy, regulation and end-of-trip facilities.

We expect some actions will be implemented quickly, while others may be more complex requiring further study or investigation.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF THE PROGRAMME?

• Supports more people living in our city
• More easy, safe and affordable ways to get around
• A better functioning transport network
• Less need for additional road capacity
• Is good for our economy
• Actively responds to the challenges of climate change.

OUR COMMUNITY

Based on recent survey data for Hamilton (TRA, 2020), less than 4% of the population use bikes as their main form of transport. 51% of people don’t currently bike at all, but indicated an openness to start. This represents a big opportunity to encourage more people to bike and use e-scooters and e-skateboards.

People have indicated the biggest barrier to biking is safety. In particular unsafe driving, cycling in the dark, and speed of other road users. Some other barriers include weather, distance, no access to a bike or end-of-trip facilities, a need to transport others, effort, the need to wear a helmet, and lack of information on biking.

Just over 25% of people bike to work, school or for recreation around once per week. With improved networks and facilities these people are likely to bike or e-scooter more often.

THEMES FOR DEVELOPING A BIKING AND MICRO-MOBILITY PROGRAMME

We've grouped possible ways to develop a programme into four different themes or focus areas. We would like to understand your priorities and what you'd like to see within the final programme.

(use scroll bars / zoom function to view in more detail.)