Bike Sharing Programs are Good for the City
When Will We Learn?
Today London launched its first large scale bike sharing program, modeled on the Paris “Velib” Program. The London project begins with 6000 available bikes and will eventually provide 15,000 of the Granny bikes-minimal theft and minimal hip-ness appeal. That is the point though, the bike should be seen as a tool, not as a must have fashion accessory.
Just Imagine this is Houston Street.
The London program will be funded by tax payer monies rather than advertising as is the model of the Paris program. The bikes will be free for the first half hour and then will cost £1 for every half hour following. The stations which are planned to take up existing parking spaces will be placed every 300 meters! This in itself will be a huge push to get people on those bikes. If one is en route to a destination and continues to pass one of these set ups on every block, odds are that at some point, one might just say, “Hmmmm…perhaps I should get on one of these speedy affordable bikes instead of walking past them in a hurry.”
This assumes that common sense is common though. Where are we on this one New York?
