Canterbury bike racks back 24/7 after safety upgrades

Friday, 9 May 2025

Cyclists will be able to put their bikes on buses again at all hours from Monday.

Bike racks on all Canterbury buses will return to full-time service from Monday, after safety upgrades brought the fleet in line with national transport regulations.

The last of the restrictions - put in place after concerns that front-mounted bike racks could obscure headlights - have now been lifted, allowing bikes on buses at any time of day.

It follows a NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) safety notice issued in October, which found the way some bus models were fitted with racks could cause spinning wheels to cast shadows in front of headlights. A nationwide ban followed in November.

In April, a temporary exemption allowed Canterbury buses to carry bikes again during daylight hours - between 7am and 6pm - while regional council Environment Canterbury (ECan) worked with operators Kinetic and Ritchies to test and upgrade lighting systems.

At the time, ECan’s public transport operations manager, Derek Walsh, urged riders to follow the daytime-only rule, saying drivers would remind customers of the temporary restriction.

Now, with upgraded lighting fitted to affected buses, the full service has resumed.

“We are so pleased to be able to offer this service fully to our community again,” ECan chairperson Craig Pauling said in a statement on Friday.

“There were many long days and nights of testing lights and working on a solution. It's been no small feat.

Regular user Connie Christensen said the change would make a big difference. She mentors a young woman with Down syndrome, and said bike-bus trips help build independence.

“We’re really looking forward to resuming that, thanks to the restrictions being lifted.”

For those new to the racks, there’s a practice rack at the central city Bus Interchange and an instructional video online. Most non-electric commuting and mountain bikes will meet weight and size requirements.

Pauling thanked the community for its patience.

“We know people have been itching to use the racks as normal. This will allow them to do just that.”