Barclays Cycle Hire Begins, Taking the City by Storm

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One of the most talked about topics on London this week is that of the launch of the Barclay’s Cycle Hire scheme, also known as the ‘BorisBike’. And although everyone is quick to judge the scheme it looks really promising and is set to reduce London’s carbon footprint enormously. Cycle hire schemes are already in motion in most European cities and it only makes sense for London to keep up with the pack. It will also encourage thousands more to cycle to work as it is a cheap and convenient way of travelling. It seems that with this scheme Boris Johnson has really exceeded himself, and although he has his hiccoughs here, and I don’t want to speak too soon but I think he has proved his critics wrong.

The journey begins by cyclists signing up online to become a member, after which they are sent an electronic key needed to access the bikes which costs £3. The key needs to be activated before use, but after that you’re away! The bikes have an access charge of £1 for 24 hours, and for under half an hour the usage fee is free, meaning much cheaper journeys for those who would usually get the stuffy old tube. The cost goes up over an hour but with docking stations all around Central London it is easy to dock your bike after you’ve used it, meaning the costs should never get too high. Already more than 12,450 people have signed up to the scheme, which 315 docking stations around the city so far. The scheme is expected to be available within a month for casual users, such as tourists who just want to use the bike for an hour or so a week. London’s road are crazy enough already so adding a few hundred more cyclists to the mix might seem slightly precarious but perhaps the theory is that if there are more cycles on the road, there will be less cars. 

The TFL has thought about this scheme, and seems to be amply prepared for most situations that could occur. For example if you reach a docking station and there are no bikes there, or no spaces, the terminal will direct you to the nearest station with bikes/spaces available. You are also given an extra fifteen minutes to get to that station, so there will be no extra charge for you. The TFL is expecting there to be initial problems with the scheme, but after learning how people use the scheme these problems should be smoothed out. With this in mind the TFL is hoping to reach its target of 6,000 bikes and 400 docking stations later this year, making London as mobile as its European counterparts.

Some have already criticised the scheme, foreseeing its downfall after its first few hours of running.  Jenny Jones, London Assembly Green Party member, said: "The bikes should have locks and bigger baskets. A target date should be set for people to be able to use Oyster (travel) cards to pay for the bike hire.’ These are no doubt objectives the TFL will sort out in time, making the bikes more practical for everyone to use. There has also been some comment on the bikes themselves, particularly from the Guardian’s Justin McGuirk claiming the Mayor is painting London ‘Tory blue’ with the unmistakable Barclay’s blue sponsoring the bikes. The bikes are also reported to be really heavy, clocking in at 23kg. Jon Snow recently test rode one of the bikes reporting the bike ‘looks like a streamlined moped and rides like one. You feel that if you pedal for long enough a little motor might kick in. It doesn’t.’ This is quite a disadvantage of the bikes but hopefully one that will be worked out by the TFL as the scheme continues.

Mobile Phone apps have been created for both the iPhone and Android, showing the list of docking stations and the availability of bikes at these stations. The apps also show what direction the stations are in and how far away there, and the colour of the direction arrows shows the status of the hire location. With the help of these apps and the support of London’s residents it is hard to see how this scheme will not succeed. It seems Boris has really struck blue and is proving himself as London’s Mayor. 

 

For more information on fees, and access charges please visit the website.

by: Lilly123
Total views: 60
Word Count: 842
Date: Fri, 30 Jul 2010 Time: 11:12 AM

About the Author

I am freelance journalist, with an interest in current affairs and politics.

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