The London Cycle Hire program launches with much fan-fare this week. Similar to the Velib in Paris and the Bixi in Montreal, the new system allows city dwellers to access approximately 6,000 bikes parked in 400 locations across central London. Registration opens this week and the bikes will be available for use at the end of the month. With the concurrent opening of cycle superhighways, new bike lanes that connect the outer city to central London, the cycle hire program is seen as another step forward in promoting environmentally-friendly transportation in the city.
The program is not free from criticism. The BBC reported teething problems with the online registration, as a few people were unable to register due to a technical glitch that Transport for London is currently addressing. A recent article in the Guardian criticizes the cycle scheme as yet another example of corporate branding and the Mayors cozy relationship with major corporations. The cycle scheme is sponsored by Barclays bank, which has provided 25 million to have its name attached to the project (Barclays Cycle Hire). The mayor argues that the partnership will allow the city to recoup a portion of the 140 million of the schemes costs.
Ultimately, the final word on the project will be determined when the bikes become available for hire on July 30th. 6,383 people had registered as of yesterday evening, the first day the website became available to the public. If registration numbers are any indication, there is certainly public interest in a cycle-share program. Much of the success of this program, however, lies with the citys ability to handle the logistics and operations of its latest transportation initiative.
Image: Flickr
