Media release – Cr Bill Harvey, Lord Mayor candidate; Gemma Kitsos, candidate for councillor, 20 September 2022
Greens Plan to make Hobart E-bike capital of Australia
In a national first, City of Hobart Greens announce plans to take e-bike riding to the next level as a means of busting traffic congestion and parking problems, while improving the health and wellbeing of residents, cutting the cost of living and helping hit zero emissions targets.
Lord Mayor candidate Bill Harvey said, “E-bikes are the cheapest e-vehicles on the market and we need to look at ways to expand their use across the city to reduce thousands of car journeys.”
Greens candidate and e-bike enthusiast Gemma Kitsos agrees, that commuting by e-bike is both a fun and healthy response to the climate crisis.
“My three kids love riding on the back of our cargo e-bike.
“There are now lots of different models available to suit different needs that are growing in popularity. E-bikes also make going uphill a breeze.”
The Greens’ plan includes creating an e-bike library where people can borrow different types and models of e-bikes for a couple of weeks to get used to riding before they consider purchasing their own.
The Greens objective is to get 1000 additional e-bikes onto the streets of Hobart over the next four-year term of local government and make Hobart the e-bike capital of Australia
This will be achieved through the bulk purchase of e-bikes working with bike retailers across the city and buy-in from state and federal governments, who are both committed to a zero-carbon future.
“If state and federal governments are genuinely committed to hitting future carbon targets, then they need to invest in alternatives such as proving e-bike subsidies and incentives to bring the prices down and get more people riding.”
Gemma Kitsos aims to introduce safe, lockable e-bike charging facilities in the city to encourage more people to ride.
The Greens believe the benefits are clear – fewer car trips, healthy active people producing less carbon pollution and assisting to achieve the national emissions reduction target of 43% by 2030 and zero by 2050.
