The Melbourne Bike Share program has benefitted from a significant increase in patronage just one month after the launch of a partnership with franchise convenience chain, 7-Eleven.

Melbourne Bike Share is Melbourne’s first ever public bike hire scheme, launched on May 31, and was set up with 10 stations hosting 100 bikes. The system is similar to those operating in Paris, Lyon, Montreal, Nice and Barcelona where an extensive urban network of low-cost bikes are on offer for the public to use on short trips.

The agreement with 7-Eleven allows people to purchase an Australian safety standards approved helmet from one of the participating stores, located in close proximity to the Bike Share Stations, for $5. Patrons can return their helmets to the stores for recycling if they wish and receive a $3 refund.

Gordon Oakley, RACV general manager for member and motoring services, said the scheme has grown by 32 per cent over the past few weeks and that 7-Eleven’s visibility and convenient locations have played a key role in this.

The program has grown by a third in October and looks like doing the same in November and some of the success lies in 7-Eleven’s convenience, visibility and familiarity _ especially with people from interstate or overseas, he said.

According to Julie Laycock, 7-Eleven head of marketing, the franchise has sold more than 1,000 helmets since the program’s inception, with more than 20 per cent of them being sold from Southern Cross Station area.