Cycling City - France

Oct 2006
In Lyon, an intriguing collaboration between private enterprise and the city council has slashed car usage and improved residents' health. Now, there are plans to introduce the scheme in other cities.

Using a prepaid card, residents can rent city bikes for free for the first half hour. The scheme is funded by advertising company, JC Decaux, in exchange for exclusive access to the city's public billboards. "We had to offer 2,000 bicycles, 200 bike stations, a server and all the maintenance", explains a JC Decaux spokesman. "But if our calculations are correct, advertising revenues will be about the same as expenses for the bike scheme." As scheme designer, Jacques Le Gars, predicts: "In five years time, it'll be common to see this kind of program in most major cities throughout the world."

Produced by SBS/Dateline
Distributed by Journeyman Pictures

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• France
• Cycling
• Health
• Lyon
• Bike
• news
• documentary
• current affairs
• journeyman
• journeyman pictures

[rudeawakeningxxx]

and stupid californians are still arguing over a subway system. just goes to show how europe is so much more advanced than US in so many ways

[LoveTheSupremes]

It used to be like this in the U.S.A., but General Motors wasn't too happy with the U.S.A. being happy with good public transportation. I'm glad they're bankrupt and wish they had been liquidated.

[sativasteve420]

the problem with implementing this system in other cities, countries, is that most American cities are set up for cars and vehicles not bicycles! European cities are a lot older and therfore built smaller and more compact, ie better suited for bikes.

[kentcyclist]

@arushandapushand

They never found the so called car that the Royals got to bump off Diana so there wouldnt be a muslim King did they. I believe the vehicle to be a cheap mountain bike ridden by a chav from manchester. If they paid tax and isurance we would have a record of the offender

[arushandapushand]

i wanted to watch a video about cycling in Lyon.

But an interminable pep-talk about getting a 6-pack is happening.

Why do these two chinamen care so much about my abs?

They don't even seem to be selling anything.

[arushandapushand]

@kentcyclist

haha

[kentcyclist]

cyclist dont pay road tax so shouldnt be allowed

[timewillprove]

@abarzilai664 No disrespect, but..... it's a state of mind, anyone can exercise anywhere. No matter how much people help with bikes or whatever people have to want to do it, and also they must want to stop eating rubbish food.

[SurvivingOklahoma]

@paulinotou Because the users of this program have no upkeep at all! Plus, you don't have to lug your bike around and into your home/apartment.

So, in essence, it's more efficient, more assessable, and more affordable.

[SurvivingOklahoma]

I would love to live in such a people friendly city like the ones in Europe. They might be built on a smaller level, but they are being easily converted into modern people-friendly cities. I think that making cities more people-friendly is the future of American cities during this age of urbanization.

Sadly, our cities here in America were built for industrial use and are not people-friendly. Our cities are meant for cars and are built very large, which makes the cities impersonal to humans.

[VegardMinde]

A bicycle idea recycled (lol).