Vélib': A New Form of Public Transport

At the risk of turning this blog into a cycling-themed one (hmm): Vélib from Paris is the world's largest self-service 'bicycle transit system'. It's quite wonderful... and it works.

"Vélib' is effectively a new form of public transportation that has generated more than 25 million new bicycle trips in its first year, 10% of which substitute former car trips." Via Treehugger.

Comments

[Michael → Boicozine]

We had a go on Paris' Vélib system last year and it was awesome. Kind of hard to find a place to park in certain parts of the city but ace none-the-less. London's previous Mayor, Mr Livingstone, gave it a trial in London but the bikes got nicked and/or mangled in a matter of days. Bloody scabby londoners. :)

[Andrew Haig]

...and I suspect the same could possibly happen here. Someone has developed a 'bicycle vending machine' that could protect the bikes from marauding 'wild youth' perhaps...