Transport for London(TfL) is looking at options for starting a bicycle hire scheme similar to the one that Paris began this year called Velib (Freedom bike).
Velib has 10,000 bicycles at 750 dedicated hire points every 300 metres around Paris, 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 just about £0.70 to hire for half an hour. Its claimed theft is minimal because of the design of the bikes, highly secure parking facilities and because payment is via credit or debit card. It’ll need to be if a scheme starts in London because bike theft is a big time business especially as more and more people are cycling in the city.
TfL is looking at other bike hire cities around Europe and will give it recommenadations to the Mayor. I think its a good idea and would work in London as long as they don’t do the usual London thing of getting greedy with the pricing.
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