Message from Seville: March 2009 World City Bike Implementation Strategies

1. World Streets Message from Seville: March 2009 World City Bike Implementation Strategies A distance presentation, Eric Britton with Esther Anaya Jornadas de la Bicicleta Pública Seville, 12 March 2009 Eric Britton, New Mobility Partnerships– eric.britton@newmobility.org Europe: 8/10 rue Joseph Bara, 75006 Paris,  France.   T:  +331 4326 1323 USA: 9440 Readcrest Dr. Los Angeles, CA  90210    T: +1 310 601-8468

2. Author’s introduction to this presentation Iwas invited to give an opening presentation at the “Jornadas de la Bicicleta Pública” in Seville Spain on 12 March 2009, with the assignment of giving the audience a feel for the pace of international developments and achievements in the sector over the last decade or so, and against that background to see if I might give them in turn a feel for some of the important issues and choices facing anyone who has the itch to create a shared bike project for their city. As you will see, getting such a project right is a real challenge, but one that, if you are willing to dig in and give it the resources and thoughtfulness it requires, can be done and done well. This PowerPoint document was prepared to support this presentation. For further background I can refer you to the World City Bike program and website at www.worldcitybike.org , including the rich field of references and additional key sources that you will find there. This presentation is occasionally updated, so you can find the latest version at www.seville.en.worldcitybike.org . A Spanish language version is under development and will be available at http://www.sevilla.es.worldcitybike.org/. Comments welcome on World Streets discussions by clicking here. Eric Britton New Mobility Partnerships and World Streets Paris and Los Angeles The author, checking his air World City Bike Implementation Strategies

3. In brief: • City cycling – international perspectives • PBS development in Europe • Different kinds of shared bike systems • A city cycling system • Planning and decision checklists • Criteria for success • Alternative approaches • Now what? Pointing the way World City Bike Implementation Strategies

4. Bicycle modal share in selected Euro cities Protected cycling Source: Cycling in the Netherlands 2009 World City Bike Implementation Strategies

5. City cycling trends – International comparisons Cycling as daily transport for all Source: Cycling in the Netherlands 2009 World City Bike Implementation Strategies

6. Bike-sharing in Europe (Google map) The original Bikeshare project White Bikes, Amsterdam, 1967 Source: MetroBike, LLC World City Bike Implementation Strategies

7. What kind of shared bike project for you? • Full-scale Paris, Barcelona, Lyon, Seville style city bike project (Operational services with thousands of bikes blanketing the city) • Comprehensive small city system: ex. Orleans, Dijon , Brescia (Hundreds of bikes with good area coverage) • Transit node service: Berlin, Frankfurt, (Hundreds of bikes focusing on main transit/rail nodes) • City “learner system” such as Brussels, Washington DC (Characteristically hundred or so bikes serving a limited zone) • Tourist/Visitor service: More than 50, from N. to S. of Europe (Small fleets of bikes to encourage tourist movements during their visit) • Campus shared bike project (As many as several hundreds of bikes serving a specific area/group) * Each of these are radically different in just about all key respects. . Our main focus here today is on full scale city bike projects. World City Bike Implementation Strategies

8. A city bike? Well it’s not just one more pretty bike project. Rather it’s a . . . • Significant public transport project in its own right. • A roads and infrastructure project of some dimensions. • A city center economic development/revival project. • A social project that works to tie people together in soft ways • A public health project in a time of need. • A climate project for your city that can make a difference. • A nudge to changing the minds of planners, the public &the media • A 21st century exercise in deep democracy & active citizenry. This is the true nature, scale and range of your city bike project. And this is your opportunity. Are ready for it? World City Bike Implementation Strategies

9. Not just one more pretty bike project. Rather it’s a . . . Comprehensive, integrated, complex physical/logistics system World City Bike Implementation Strategies

10. Not just one more pretty bike project. Rather it’s a . . . Complex, ubiquitous, social system that knits people together World City Bike Implementation Strategies

11. A genuine new urban transport mode “Very quickly, we have moved from being a curiosity to a genuine new urban transport mode. We invented the public/individual transport system.” - Gilles Vesco, Vice-president, Grand Lyon, on his city’s experience with Vélo’v World City Bike Implementation Strategies

12. Confirming the role of cycling, walking & public space • After decades of neglect • Reaching beyond the boundaries of long entrenched car-based transport planning and investment approaches • Opening up new questions and new possibilities in a high profile manner • Changing the public & political discourse • Engaging citizens of all ages & social classes • Drawing in the media in new ways • Transforming the city and daily lives World City Bike Implementation Strategies

13. Initial criteria for public bike project success. Ask yourself . . . • Is city government 100% behind this project? • Do they fully appreciate the dimensions of the challenge? • Is the city’s topography adapted to bike use? • What about our weather? • Extent, density and quality of public transit coverage? • Land use/Activity mix/ Places to go? • Is necessary (critical!) supporting infrastructure in place? • Is it understood that this is a full-scale public transportation project . . . and not just one more nice bike project • Degree of city’s continuing commitment to sustainable development? Checking in for the 1st time Source: World City Bike Implementation Strategies World City Bike Implementation Strategies

14. More challenges/criteria for success • Job creation and skills development opportunities? • Road maintenance? • Vandalism/bike thefts, public attitudes to public facilities? • Commitment to, capacity for law enforcement? • Driver attitudes and skill levels • What about that on-street outdoor advertising? • Are we up to the deep communications, negotiation challenges? • Cycle clubs, environmental and support groups? • Capacity for working with public/private partnerships? • So, what’s our business plan? • Now, where do we go next? Source: World City Bike Implementation Strategies World City Bike Implementation Strategies

15. Alternatives to a full scale city bike project • Are we too small for a city-wide PBS? • Is it too early for us to face the full challenges involved. • What about a project aimed at tourists and visitors, as opposed to a more ambitious public transport project ? • Campus shared bike projects? • Strategies for demo or pilot projects? • Can these serve as “starter projects” • Growing your small project. Shared bikes at St. Xavier Univ. in Chicago World City Bike Implementation Strategies

16. Some closing thoughts • Safe cycling provision. Are you really up for it? • Injuries and deaths of cyclists are the direct accountability of the city authority!!! • What about a “Street Code” for your city? • Business model? (Remember this is a new field) • Financing strategies? (Lots of options there) • Identify and work with all qualified suppliers • Supplier/partner selection • Phased negotiation with your new partner • Contractual sticks – but don’t forget the carrots • Planning for the long term • Getting time on your side • Next stage expansion strategies It takes a bit of work to get there World City Bike Implementation Strategies

17. Why one citizen likes his city bike • Because they accomplish an important job for all • And they are fair (democratic, classless transportation) • Because they are nimble and fast • And there when/where you need them (or almost always) • Because they are free (almost always) • And let you chose where and how • They offer a nice little workout for the sedentary city dweller • They make you more aware of the weather (i.e., life) • Certainly the best way to see your city • They are social, invite eye to eye contact • People often help out at stations • Small mutual compromises with pedestrians and motorists • The slight question of uncertainty (available bike, parking slot) • Because you can ways find a work-around for it. • They make you smart (because you have to keep thinking) • The provide potentially good transition jobs for young people • And when you are on a bike in the city, you belong A typical Parisian transferring from shared-Metro to shared-bike World City Bike Implementation Strategies

18. A small gift from Paris: Knoogle New Mobility • Next time you want to know more about cycling in a city, country, or some interesting project, technology , supplier or technique • Or some expert, program or group • Try Knoogling it • Use it like Google, but . . . the great advantage is that (a) it is much more compact and focused in its offerings, because (b) it scans and reports on the work and content of the key sources that are leading the way • More than one thousand key sources targeted and reporting back to your request • Click to www.Knoogle.net and give it a try • Compliments of World Streets and New Mobility Peer-to-peer networking World City Bike Implementation Strategies

19. New Mobility Partnerships: 2009 - 2012 • For latest versions of this presentation: • English language version at: • * www.seville.en.worldcitybike.org • Spanish language version at: • * www.sevilla.es.worldcitybike.org • To join discussions of this presentation: • * Click here Pointing the way to New Mobility Europe: The Commons, EcoPlan International 8/10 rue Joseph Bara 75006 Paris, France + 331.4326.1323 postmaster@ecoplan.org Skype: ericbritton SightSpeed.com: ericbritton North America: New Mobility Partnerships 9440 Readcrest Dr.  Los Angeles CA  90210 +1 310 601-8468 partnerships@newmobility.org. Skype: newmobility SightSpeed.com: newmobility Read World Streets – Your sustainable weekly Insights and discussion points from leading thinkers and practitioners around the world. Pick it up this morning at http://www.worldstreets.org World City Bike Implementation Strategies