A Continental-style bicycle hire scheme could be introduced in London to promote cycling in the capital.
Ken Livingstone has asked Transport for London to examine the feasibility of a bicycle hire scheme, similar to the recently-launched ‘Velib’ – Freedom Bike – initiative in Paris. The mayor and Peter Hendy, transport commissioner for London, witnessed the successful Paris Velib scheme during the recent Tour de France.
TfL will look at international best practice in promoting cycling, with a view to introducing a scheme which meets the specific needs of the capital. Cycling groups and other shareholders will be consulted on the options. A London scheme would require the support of the capital’s boroughs, which control most of the city’s roads.
However, both Camden and Westminster councils and are collaborating with TfL on the study, under the Clear Zones Partnership, which aims to reduce the negative impacts of traffic within the area.
The Clear Zones area covers most of central London and is often used as a testing ground for piloting cross-borough schemes. The Paris scheme offers 10,000 bikes sited at 750 dedicated hire-points every 300m around the city, with plans for 20,000 bikes at 1,400 hire points by the end of the year. The bikes are available at any time of the day or night and cost about 70p to hire for half-an-hour.
Payment is made via debit or credit card, meaning theft is minimal. Livingstone said: ‘I have seen the Paris Freedom Bike scheme, and discussed it with the mayor of Paris. It clearly works and is highly popular. I have asked transport officials in London to study the Parisian and similar schemes, in order to draw up proposals for a scheme which would meet the needs of London.’ Other European cities with a strong record on cycling or with public cycle hire schemes include Barcelona, Lyon, Brussels, Vienna and Copenhagen.
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