Paris cycle hire scheme loses 100 bikes a week
A spate of vandalism and theft has forced the sponsor of the Vélib cycle hire scheme in Paris to ask for help towards the cost of replacing damaged bicycles.
Of the 20,000 bicycles that were introduced to the city’s streets in July 2007, 7,800 have vanished – a rate of over 100 bikes each week. An additional 11,000 have been vandalised.
The scheme’s sponsor, JCDecaux has now convinced the city to pay for a proportion of the replacement bikes.
Vélib, the term is a contraction of the French words for bicycle and freedom, remains popular with the city’s inhabitants and tourists – in its first year of operation it made over £10 million.
There are 1,450 docking stations, each of which is equipped with an automatic rental terminal and spaces for bicycles. Users subscribe to the service and pay an hourly rate for rental, but the first 30 minutes is always free.
The history of mass cycle hire schemes
| A history of cycle hire schemes | …the highs and the lows |
|---|---|
| The “White Bikes” project | in the 1960s free bikes were offered in Amsterdam, many of which ended their life in the canals |
| Copenhagen | a not-for profit foundation has operated a free-to-use bike hire scheme seasonally since 1995 |
| Bikeabout | Started in 1996 at Portsmouth university, this was the first electronically managed cycle hire scheme |
| Velib | The Paris scheme is popular but has suffered its own share of problem, including ‘Velib extreme’ – stunt riding that takes its toll on the bicycles |
| Watch a film of ‘Velib extreme’ riding |
Vélib for London
London is close to a mass cycle-hire scheme of its own – albeit a smaller version of the Vélib in Paris. Once registered with the scheme, users will be able to pick up and drop off one of 6,000 bikes at 400 locations across the capital.
Do cyclists need insurance?
The short answer is yes. Bikes are vulnerable to theft and in the case of an accident cyclists may need to seek compensation or even deal with a claim by someone else. Cycle insurance from the ETA includes new-for-old replacement, third party insurance, personal accident cover and if you breakdown, they will even come out and recover you and your bike. More info
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