London to Start New Bicycle-Sharing Program

London is the latest city to get a bike-sharing program, with mayor Boris Johnson announcing that city residents will be able to pick up and drop off one of 6,000 bikes at 400 locations across the city. Before the plan is final, however, Johnson will have to get the “political buy-in” of all 9 London boroughs.

From The Guardian:

The bikes will be kept at docking stations and the design is expected to deter thieves. Renters will have to pay a deposit when they take the bicycles and there is expected to be an annual fee for registration.

Johnson said: “I have long held the view that a cyclised city is a civilised city, but if we are to get more Londoners on to two wheels rather than four we need to provide the facilities to help them do so.

“I hope a central-London cycle-hire scheme will inspire Londoners as a whole, and not just the adventurous few, to get on their bikes and give cycling a go. I believe that the work we are carrying out can make the capital a city of cyclists, where to use two wheels is common, not curious.”

Johnson invited companies to bid on the project, with JC Decaux – the French company that has set up bicycle sharing programs in 15 cities across the world – expressing interest.

Some boroughs have yet to give the green light because they have to get permission from the owners of the land on which the stations would be located. But, all are expected to join in, as Londoners are enthusiastic about the project.

It’s great to see so many cities take on bike-sharing programs. There’s no telling how many people will choose to ride a bicycle, see the scenery up close, interact with the community, and get exercise and fresh air instead of driving a motor vehicle. Beneficial to all involved!

Link [The Guardian]
Photo credit: Flickr User Malias

Awesome News: America Catching On to the Bike-Sharing Coolness

America lags behind Europe in so many ways, and bicycle use is just one. But now Washington DC is starting a bike-sharing program, allowing people to rent out bicycles whenever they want with the swipe of a membership card.

The New York Times has it:

A new public-private venture called SmartBike DC will make 120 bicycles available at 10 spots in central locations in the city. The automated program, which district officials say is the first of its kind in the nation, will operate in a similar fashion to car-sharing programs like Zipcar.

The district has teamed up with an advertiser, Clear Channel Outdoor, to put the bikes on the streets.

“There’s a lot of stress on our transit systems currently,” said Jim Sebastian, who manages bicycle and pedestrian programs for Washington’s Transportation Department. Offering another option, Mr. Sebastian said, “will help us reduce congestion and pollution,” as well as parking problems.

Rentable bicycles are a great transportation option for college students, getting them to and from important destinations like school, their dorms or apartments and the dive bar down the street that doesn’t check ID’s. While you can still get ticketed for riding a bicycle drunk in some states (a B.U.I.?), it’s definitely a safer route home than getting in the car, even if you do wake up to find asphalt and bike tire tread marks on your face the next day.

Bicycles for rent is already a big trend in cities like Amsterdam, Paris and Florence. When I was in college, I would read longingly about an art student exchange program in the latter city and the romantic descriptions of grabbing a bicycle off a public rack downtown to grab lunch from the corner market and enjoy a picnic on the steps of the Uffizi. Of course, that was before I actually visited Florence and realized people drive like insane sign-ignoring speed demons. At least in America, you’re not as likely to be clipped in the ass by an impossibly tiny car that goes by so fast you can barely catch a glimpse of it.

Link [New York Times]
Photo credit: Flickr user ark