Vélo'v

Vélo'v is bicycle rental service run by the city of Lyon, France, in conjunction with the advertising company JCDecaux. The relationship with JCDecaux allows the city to provide the service on a cost neutral basis for the city, and at very low cost to users, in return for providing exclusive advertising access on bus shelters and the like. The primary aim is to reduce vehicle traffic within the city. The scheme also aims to reduce pollution, create a convivial atmosphere within the city, and encourage the health benefits of increased activity.

Overview

The service began on the 19th of May 2005 and now provides over 3000 bicycles available from over 350 stations situated around the cities of Lyon and Villeurbanne. The aim is to have stations within 300m of every point in the city. The bicycles can be returned to any other station. Access is via a subscription system in which a card is purchased online or at a station giving the user an account and a PIN with which they access bicycles through a terminal situated at the bicycle stations.

Rentals can last from less than 30 minutes up to 24 hours and are available to anyone 14 years and over holding a Carte Vélo'v, (subscription card for the service).

The June 2006 edition of the Vélo'v newsletter reported that over 22,000 rentals per day were made by the over 52,000 subscribers to the service, an increase of 44% in a year, and representing 6,400,000km traveled for the year.

Cost to users

Rentals of up to 30 minutes are free and subsequent hours cost between 0.50€ and 1€ per hour dependent on subscription type. However the system is in practice virtually free to users as over 90% of journeys last less than 30 minutes. The subscription costing 1€ for a week or 5€ for a year includes a credit card based deposit mechanism to encourage bicycles to be looked after and returned.

Bicycles

Vélo'v bicycles, along with a lock and basket, contain electronic components which allow the bicycle to be identified by the stations, allow tracking of kilometers traveled, tracking of the condition of the bicycles, (lights, brakes, dynamo), and collection of detailed statistics about the usage of the bicycles.

Video game

For the 2006 edition of the fête des lumières, Lyon had been partly modelized in order to create a video game named "Velo'v racing in Lyon". Pedestrians could play for free from December 7 to December 10 and the game was broadcast on screens on place de la République.

See also

*Community bicycle program
*Utility cycling #Free bicycle.2FShort term hire schemes
*Velib
*Bicing

External links

* [http://www.velov.grandlyon.com vélo'v Grand Lyon] - vélo'v Official Site
* [http://www.monvelov.com/ vélo'v Map and Availability] - Google Maps mashup
* [http://www.peopleandplanet.net/doc.php?id=2516 Inauguration ] - copy of Guardian article from August 12, 2005
* [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7509568322806821099 video] 10 min video to explain the Vélo'v system