London, Boston and Montreal Start Cycle Hire Schemes

LONDON, UK – Vélib in Paris has set an example for the world’s biggest cities. They all want to implement cycle hire schemes to bring down car traffic with bicycle trips. London, Boston and Montreal are the new names that can be added to what will grow into a huge list of towns that all turn to cycling.

Of the three named cities, London is starting with the biggest operation in public bikes. Last week the contract has been awarded for the construction of 400 docking stations offering over 10,000 docking points for 6,000 bikes. The London Cycle Hire scheme is expected to generate an additional 40,000 bicycle journeys every day in Central London.

Serco Group plc has been awarded the contract from the Transport for London to design, build and operate the London Cycle Hire scheme. The six year contract will commence immediately, and includes an initial scheme installation period which is expected to be completed within a year. The contract is valued at approximately GBP 140 million (€ 140 mn) over its six year term, split between installation and operation of the scheme.  User revenue from the scheme will be paid direct to Transport for London.

The 6,000 London bikes are the same as the ones Montreal recently started using in its cycle hire scheme. They are called Bixi and are look-a-likes of the Vélib’s used in Paris. Montreal started its Bixi system with 3,000 bikes spread out over 300 stations across the city.

Boston city council officials are about to enter into a contract with the Public Bike System Co. which is to install a network of 2,500 bikes and 290 stations across the city. It should be operational by next summer, with the option of expanding to a 5,000-bike system encompassing the city’s neighbouring communities. Also Boston’s cycle hire scheme is modeled after Montreal's Bixi bike-sharing program.

• For related items on Velib, click here

Follow Bike Europe on Twitter at twitter.com/bikeeurope