Jump to content

Santander Cycles: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
added link to relevant, popular blog solely concerned with the Barclays Cycle Hire Scheme
Line 163: Line 163:
* {{Official website|1=www.tfl.gov.uk/barclayscyclehire}}
* {{Official website|1=www.tfl.gov.uk/barclayscyclehire}}
* [https://web.barclayscyclehire.tfl.gov.uk/maps/ Map of docking stations] at [[Transport for London]]
* [https://web.barclayscyclehire.tfl.gov.uk/maps/ Map of docking stations] at [[Transport for London]]

== External links ==
*[http://iloveborisbikes.blogspot.co.uk/ I love Boris Bikes], popular blog about the Barclays Cycle Hire Scheme.


{{Bixi}}
{{Bixi}}

Revision as of 19:49, 14 April 2013

Barclays Cycle Hire
File:Barclays Cycle Hire Logo.svg
Overview
OwnerTransport for London
LocaleLondon, United Kingdom
Transit typeBicycle sharing system
Number of stations570
Websitetfl.gov.uk/barclayscyclehire
Operation
Began operation2010
Operator(s)Serco Group
Number of vehicles8,000 bicycles

Barclays Cycle Hire (BCH) is a public bicycle sharing scheme in London, United Kingdom. The scheme's bicycles are popularly known as 'Boris Bikes', after Boris Johnson, who was the Mayor of London when the scheme was launched on 30 July 2010.[1]

The scheme is contracted to and operated by Serco Group,[2] and carries the name and distinctive colours of Barclays Bank which purchased the right to advertise in this way for a contribution of £25 million spread over five years (18% of the scheme's initial cost) to the project's funding.[3][4]

Credit for developing and enacting the scheme has been a source of debate. Johnson has claimed credit for the plan,[5] although the initial concept was announced by his predecessor Ken Livingstone, during the latter's term in office.[6] Johnson has said that he "hoped the bikes would become as common as black cabs and red buses in the capital".[7] A study showed cyclists using the scheme are three times less likely to be injured per trip than cyclists in London as a whole, possibly due to motorists giving cycle hire users more road space than they do other cyclists.[8]

During the 2012 Olympic Games, a record of 47,105 cycle hires were made in a single day.[9]

History

BCH commenced operations in July 2010 with 5,000 bicycles and 315 docking stations distributed across the City of London area and parts of eight London boroughs.[10] The coverage zone spans approximately 17 square miles (44 km2), roughly matching the Zone 1 Travelcard area. Currently there are some 8,000 cycles and 570 docking stations in the scheme, which has been used for over 19 million journeys up to 2012.[11]

Initially, BCH required initial payment of registration and membership fees to be paid in exchange for an electronic access key, but on 3 December 2010 this was changed to allow casual cycle hires by non-members who have a valid credit or debit card.[12]

The project is expected to cost £140 million for planning and implementation over six years, and is potentially the only Transport for London (TfL) system to fully fund its annual cost of operation, a goal originally estimated to take two to three years.[13]

Operation

File:Barclays Cycle Hire Key.jpg
Access key for the service.

Regular users of the scheme can register on the TfL website and sign up for one of three levels of access: daily, weekly or yearly. Users are then sent a key in the post to operate the docking stations which they must activate before they use it for the first time – a key costs £3, and up to four can be registered under a single account. Scheme members insert the membership key into a docking point key slot; an amber light indicates that the account is being verified, then a green light indicates that the cycle can be undocked.[14]

From 3 December 2010 the scheme has also been made available to casual users who have not registered with TfL.[15] Those with a Visa or MasterCard credit or debit card (with Chip and PIN) can go to their nearest docking station and follow the simple on screen instructions at the terminal to release a bike. Once the user has purchased their access period (for either 24 hours or seven days) the first 30 minutes of any journey will be free of usage charges.[16]

Cycles

Cycle on Lambeth Bridge
Barclays Cycle Hire bike handlebar

The features of the cycles include:[17]

  • Puncture-resistant tyres to increase durability.
  • Brakes on each wheel hub.
  • A three-speed hub gear operated by a twist grip on the right handlebar.
  • A chain guard.
  • Dynamo-powered flashing front and rear lights which are illuminated when the bicycle is being ridden and remain on for a minimum of two minutes after it has stopped.
  • A bell on the left handlebar.
  • A small luggage rack in front of the handlebars, open at the sides, with elastic cord to secure possessions.
  • Adjustable saddle height.
  • Mudguards.
  • A kickstand.
  • A number painted on to the frame by the rear wheel, uniquely identifying each bike.

The cycles are not provided with locks (unlike the Vélib' scheme in Paris).

If there is a fault with a cycle, the rider is advised to dock it at the nearest station and press the red 'fault' button on the docking point within ten seconds; they can then take out another bike at no extra cost.

The cycles are low geared to compensate for their high mass and to provide a way of limiting their top speed. With the standard 38 tooth front cog and a larger than standard 23 tooth rear sprocket the setting is 32 gear inches in 1st gear, 44 gear inches in 2nd gear, and 60 gear inches in 3rd gear. This gearing is about 22% lower than would be usual on a three-speed cycle of this sort.[citation needed]

The cycles and the docking stations are built in Canada and are based on the Bixi cycle rental system that operates in Montreal and other Canadian cities.

Docking stations

Docking station at Hyde Park.
Barclays Cycle Hire terminal screen.

Docking stations consist of a terminal and docking points where users pick up and return cycles. The terminal at each docking station contains a screen allowing users to:[18]

  • hire a cycle if the user does not have a key;
  • print a record of their journey;
  • find other nearby docking stations – if one is full or empty;
  • get extra time if they need to return the cycle to another docking station; and
  • see a local street map, review scheme costs, the code of conduct and translated information.

During high load hours the bikes are moved from the busiest stations to the emptiest using some electric vehicles with zero CO2 emissions.,[19] as well as Ford Transit vans with specially designed tail ramps. There are a number of applications for mobile phones to help users find the nearest station.

Reception and criticisms

BCH debuted with great fanfare, with over 90,000 users registering one million cycle rides being taken in the first ten weeks of operation.[20] The millionth journey rider was awarded free annual membership to the scheme for five years for him and three friends.[21]

In the first three months of the scheme, 95 per cent of journeys were under half an hour, earning Transport for London no revenue besides access fees.[22] The scheme generated £323,545 in revenue from journeys in the first 96 days.[22] Only 72,700 of the first 1.4 million journeys earned any revenue, with 44 per cent of income coming from individuals who were charged £150 "late return" fees.[22] At an average of only £3,370 income per day from journeys, administrators have acknowledged that the scheme will have to grow substantially over the next five years in order to meet its estimated revenue projections.[22]

In particular, the BCH scheme has been criticised for allowing riders to have unlimited free periods of use by docking the bike every thirty minutes at a station (the first 30 minutes' use are free) resulting in a dependence upon late fees and penalties to make up revenues.[22][23] Other users have complained of computer issues, erroneous charges, and problems with docking stations.[11][24][25][26][27] By turning the bicycle into shared public transport, the system requires the cyclist to find a docking station close to his departure and destination point, thus removing one of the key advantages of the bicycle in an urban setting.[28] The system also does not enable transport to the suburbs, and TfL has acknowledged that the BCH scheme is "best for short journeys".[29] Some users have also found the bikes too heavy and unwieldy, at 23 kilograms (51 lb).[30][31]

In June 2011, TfL issued a 'critical improvement plan' to the BCH contractor, Serco, demanding immediate improvements in service, and in a comment to the press a TfL spokesman stated that "the service it (Serco) has provided for our Barclays Cycle Hire users has not reached the consistently high standards we expect," adding "We expect to see immediate improvements."[11] Serco has in turn admitted that "some aspects of the service still need to be improved."[11]

Redistribution of bikes has also been hindered by both Westminster and Kensington & Chelsea councils refusing to allow Serco to move bikes around their boroughs between the hours of 22.00-08.00, creating significant challenges in meeting morning peak demand.[citation needed]

Repair and replacement

An Alkè ATX280E electric utility vehicle, used to redistribute bicycles

According to Transport for London, in the first six months of operation two-thirds of the fleet of London's Barclays Cycle Hire scheme fleet have had to undergo repairs.[32] Serco, the company contractor for bicycle operations, is repairing more than 30 bikes a day.[32] At any one time around 200 of the 5,400 strong fleet are off the road for maintenance or repair.[32] As of February 2011, three BCH machines had been damaged beyond repair while in service, while ten more were stolen.[31] Six docking stations have been hit and damaged by motor vehicles and six more have been vandalised.[32]

Costs

Users of the scheme must pay both an access fee and usage charges.[33]

Access fee

Period 24-hour access Seven-day access Annual access
Cost £2 £10 £90

Usage charges

Usage charges are designed to promote the constant circulation of bicycles. As a result, whilst the first 30 minutes are free, costs rise sharply thereafter. If a user docks a bike, a period of five minutes must elapse before they can take out another one for free.

Time 30 min 1 h 1 h 30 2 h 2 h 30 3 h 6 h 24 h
Rate free £1 £4 £6 £10 £15 £35 £50

Other charges

Event Late return charge Damage charge Non-return charge
Cost £150 up to £300 £300

Future expansion

In November 2010 it was announced that the cycle hire scheme was to be extended to east London to include North Shoreditch and the entire borough of Tower Hamlets, and a minor western expansion around Shepherds Bush,[34] with 2,300 more bikes and 4,800 more docking points added.[35] This was implemented in March 2012.[36]

Demand from parts of London not yet included in the scheme has led to plans for further expansion (as part of 'Phase 3') in West and South London in 2013, with local authorities asking residents for suggestions for the location of future docking stations.[37][38][39]

However, despite repeated calls from other Londoners, the scheme has yet to expand into many central areas, including Islington.[40][41]

Moreover, planned expansion has been retarded by Londoners who support the London Cycle Hire Scheme 'in practice', but dislike the idea of having a Docking Station on their street, or losing any parking spaces whatsoever in order for necessary Docking Stations to be built.[42]

Notes and references

  1. ^ "Barclays Cycle Hire, Public Bicycle Hire Scheme - AngloINFO London (United Kingdom)". London.angloinfo.com. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
  2. ^ "TFL Announcement for BCH Operator".
  3. ^ "Barclays' £25m sponsorship of London cycle hire scheme". BBC News. 28 May 2010.
  4. ^ "Boris, Barclays and the Big Blue Branding". CorpComms Magazine. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
  5. ^ Thelwell, Emma (30 July 2010). [London's 'Boris Bike' hire scheme launched "London's 'Boris Bike' hire scheme launched"]. The World in 2010. Channel 4. Retrieved 2 September 2010. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  6. ^ Taylor, Matthew (9 February 2008). "City's two-wheel transformation". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
  7. ^ Jon Clements. "Phone fury man kicks 'Boris bike'- John Clements". Mirror.co.uk. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
  8. ^ "Safety of London Bike Scheme". rdrf.org.uk. Retrieved 19 August 2012.
  9. ^ "Barclays Cycle Hire Twitter". Retrieved 19 August 2012.
  10. ^ "Mayor's flagship cycling scheme - Barclays Cycle Hire - opens for business". Transport for London. 30 July 2010. Retrieved 22 April 2011.
  11. ^ a b c d News, BBC (8 March 2012). "London cycle hire scheme expands eastwards". BBC news. Retrieved 12 April 2012. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  12. ^ "Transport for London Mayor's flagship Barclays Cycle Hire is now open to anyone, anytime". Transport for London. 3 December 2010. Retrieved 22 April 2011.
  13. ^ Whitehead, Frederika. "London bike hire scheme on road to be only public transport system in profit". Guardian. UK. Retrieved 23 February 2011.: Once BCH revenues can fully pay for annual costs of operation, revenues may then be allocated towards repayment of the estimated £140 million in planning and implementation costs of the project.
  14. ^ "Getting a cycle | Cycling | Transport for London". Tfl.gov.uk. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
  15. ^ Hugh Gladstone (3 December 2010). "How to use the London cycle hire scheme on casual basis". Cyclingweekly.co.uk. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
  16. ^ http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/media/newscentre/17500.aspx[dead link‍]
  17. ^ "The cycles | Cycling | Transport for London". Tfl.gov.uk. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
  18. ^ "Docking stations | Cycling | Transport for London". Tfl.gov.uk. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
  19. ^ https://www.sourcelondon.net/barclays-cycle-hire-and-serco-0
  20. ^ "In praise of ... Boris's bikes". The Guardian. 11 October 2010. Retrieved 22 April 2011.
  21. ^ Appleton, Mark (27 October 2010). "Millionth Boris bike journey rider identified". road.cc. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
  22. ^ a b c d e Quilty-Harper, Conrad, and Payne, Sebastian (7 January 2011). "London bicycle hire scheme in uphill struggle to make money". The Daily Telegraph.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  23. ^ TimeOut London, The London Cycle Hire Scheme (2011)
  24. ^ Cridland, James, A message to Barclays Cycle Hire 9 February 2011
  25. ^ London Cycle Hire: good, but not great, Tomroyal.com, 30 August 2010
  26. ^ Radnedge, Aidan: Transport for London reported in June 2011 that thousands of BCH users had been sent erroneous billings.
  27. ^ Macmichael, Simon, Hidden charges - Boris bike user hit with £900 charge for "free" journeys...but he's still a fan, Road.cc, Farrelly Atkinson Ltd., 13 September 2010
  28. ^ May, James, Cycling Proficiency with James May, The Daily Telegraph, 21 October 2010
  29. ^ "How it works". Transport for London. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
  30. ^ Harris, Stephen (30 July 2010). "Boris bike gets The Engineer test". The Engineer. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
  31. ^ a b Brady, Brian (2011), Two-thirds of London's Boris Bikes need repairs, The Independent, 20 February 2011
  32. ^ a b c d Sutton, Mark, (2011), London bike hire faring better than Paris scheme for write offs, Bike Biz Magazine, 22 February 2011
  33. ^ "Barclays Cycle Hire/Costs". Transport for London. Retrieved 22 April 2011.
  34. ^ "Mayor's flagship Barclays Cycle Hire scheme heads east in time for the 2012 Games". Tfl.gov.uk. 10 November 2010. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
  35. ^ "Less than one month to go until Barclays Cycle Hire goes east". Tfl.gov.uk. 10 February 2012. Retrieved 28 February 2012.
  36. ^ "Barclays Cycle Hire expansion".
  37. ^ "Barclays Cycle Hire 2013 expansion".
  38. ^ "Wandsworth Council 'Boris Bike Expansion".
  39. ^ "Hammersmith and Fulham 'Boris Bike Expansion".
  40. ^ "Call fro BCH in Islington".
  41. ^ "Plea for 'Boris Bikes'".
  42. ^ "Residents from Wandsworth complain about Docking Station being installed on their street".
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Barclays Cycle Hire.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Santander_Cycles&oldid=550356883"