London Velib

Apparently they're announcing who won the bid to run Boris' paris style bike hire scheme today. Should be interesting. I hate to be cynical but I have serious reservations about it working in London's lightfingered London. Be nice if it did go well though. Any thoughts?

I think vandalism will be the main problem, rather than outright theft. (If the docking stations are anything like the ones in Paris / Lyon anyways.)

Will be a real shame if it doesn't work.

if it work in paris it should work in London.

I suspect theft will be less of a problem as it'd be diffcuit to sell a velib in Brick Lane.

They'd all end up in the Regent's Canal with slashed tyres.

Used the Velibs for the first time over the TdF weekend. They really made the trip. Wanted to have one last blast on them to the station before heading back but after checking 4 stands all that was left were broken ones.

If the scheme were to be as successful in London as in Paris, I would be hugely surprised, but would love it.

I've nearly crashed into 3 people riding them the wrong way down one-way cycle paths, pushing me into oncoming traffic, in the past week... I hope the people who use them in london will know how to ride them.

Still, it would be amazing if it worked!

here's the announcement.

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/support_services/article6793998.ece[URL="http://http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/support_services/article6793998.ece"][/URL]

Linky no worky for me dooks.

Too many "https's"

Interesting:

"However, to avoid queues forming, TfL has opted not to build any docking stations close to rail terminuses. It argues that the bikes would be too popular among rail commuters and that racks would almost always be empty, damaging the image of the scheme."

It's Serco. They run the DLR. And lots of other things. Quite efficiently to be fair.

soz. link sorted i hope.

i've put in a "word" hoping to get some work on this. be nice to sit on my fat arse in an anonymous office doing something at least vaguely bike related. well nicer than not anyway.

Christian Wolmar has doubts

http://www.christianwolmar.co.uk/2009/10/cycle-hire-scheme-may-not-be-the-best-way-to-boost-cycling/

Noticed them installing a load of these (well the foundations and electrical works for) on Stamford Street yesterday. Can't be long away now.

I don't think it'll work. However, I'd love to be proved wrong. I'm just too cynical to trust the vandals, opportunists, and generally feckless free-loaders that make up a sizeable chunk of the population of London's famous London.