Brisbane's CityCycle hire scheme loses $1 million a year CityCycle bikes in the Brisbane CBD. Brisbane ratepayers propped up CityCycle to the tune of nearly $1 million last financial year. Council documents released this week show the bike hire scheme, launched in October 2010, ran at a loss of $976,000. City Hall remains determined to push ahead with it, however, despite opposition calls to scrap it. Public and active transport chairman Peter Matic said patronage was growing steadily. The most recent yearly figures show single trips grew by nearly 15 per cent. "The number of people using CityCycle continues to grow with more than 223,000 trips taken during its most recent year compared to about 82,000 in its first year," Cr Matic said. Council figures released this week show the operating costs far outweighed revenue last financial year. Expenses included $1.1 million in contribution payments, a further $1.1 million in revenue underwriting, $84,000 in staff costs, $22,000 in advertising and promotional costs and $34,000 in safety, including the provision of helmets. In revenue, the scheme netted $1.3 million in advertising and $88,000 in sponsorship. Opposition leader Milton Dick has repeatedly called for the abolition of the scheme, saying it has cost ratepayers $14 million since 2010. "The only people doing well out of the CityCycle scheme is the French advertising company JC Decaux, who collect all the advertising revenue from the 167 advertising panels and 25 senior advertising sign sites that Council gave them as part of the CityCycle contract," he said. It's time (Lord Mayor) Graham Quirk admitted this scheme is a failure and commenced talks with JC Decaux to renegotiate the CityCycle contract in an effort to stop pouring even more ratepayers' dollars into this botched scheme. Council has introduced an array of changes to improve usage of the scheme since its inception, including dramatic cost reductions, linking it with the TransLink Go Card and the introduction of student subscriptions. The latest measure is a three-month trial of 24-hour availability, which began on December 1. "Improving access to CityCycle by making bikes available 24 hours a day, seven days a week during our three-month summer trial will enhance convenience for subscribers as well as make this active and sustainable public transport option a more attractive consideration for other Brisbane residents and visitors," Cr Matic said. He said since the scheme began in October 2010 more than 509,000 trips had been made.