Barclays Cycle Hire
Encyclopedia
Barclays Cycle Hire is a public scheme bicycle sharing scheme that was launched on 30 July 2010 in London, United Kingdom. The scheme's bicycles are informally referred to as Boris bikes, after Boris Johnson
, who was the Mayor of London
at the time of the official launch.
BCH commenced operations in July 2010 with 5,000 bicycles and 315 docking stations distributed across the City of London
and parts of eight London borough
s. The coverage zone spans approximately 17 square miles (44 km²), roughly matching the Zone 1 Travelcard
area. Currently there are some 6,000 'Boris Bikes' and 400 docking stations in the BCH scheme, which has been used for more than 4 million journeys to date.
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
.
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. The scheme is sponsored by Barclays bank, which is contributing £25 million (18% of the scheme's initial cost) over five years to the project's funding, and have launched a free mobile app called Barclays Bikes.
The scheme is contracted to and operated by Serco
. The cycles and the docking stations are built in Canada
and are based on the Bixi
cycle rental system that operates in Montreal
.
Credit for developing and enacting the Barclays bicycle share scheme has been a source of controversy. London mayor Boris Johnson claimed credit for the plan, although the initial concept was announced by Johnson's predecessor Ken Livingstone
, during the latter's term in office. Johnson has said that he "hoped the bikes would become as common as black cabs
and red buses
in the capital".
From 3 December 2010 the scheme has also been made available to casual users who have not registered with TfL. 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.
The cycles are not provided with locks (unlike the Vélib'
scheme in Paris), nor do they come with helmet
s. If there is a fault with a cycle, riders are 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 have been deliberately "geared down" to compensate for their weight, to make hill climbing easier, 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.
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:
During high load hours the bikes are moved from the busiest stations to the emptiest using electric vehicles with zero CO2 emissions. There are a number of applications for mobile phones to help users find the nearest station.
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. The scheme generated £323,545 in revenue from journeys in the first 96 days. 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. 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.
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. Other users have complained of computer issues, erroneous charges, and problems with docking stations. The system also does not enable transport to the suburbs, and TfL has admitted that the BCH scheme is "best for short journeys". Some users have also found the bikes too heavy and unwieldy, at 23 kilograms (50.7 lb).
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." SERCO has in turn admitted that "some aspects of the service still need to be improved."
Access fee
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.
Other charges
with an extra 2,000 bikes and 4,200 extra docking points to be installed.
(Transport For London)
Boris Johnson
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson is a British journalist and Conservative Party politician, who has been the elected Mayor of London since 2008...
, who was the Mayor of London
Mayor of London
The Mayor of London is an elected politician who, along with the London Assembly of 25 members, is accountable for the strategic government of Greater London. Conservative Boris Johnson has held the position since 4 May 2008...
at the time of the official launch.
BCH commenced operations in July 2010 with 5,000 bicycles and 315 docking stations distributed across the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
and parts of eight London borough
London borough
The administrative area of Greater London contains thirty-two London boroughs. Inner London comprises twelve of these boroughs plus the City of London. Outer London comprises the twenty remaining boroughs of Greater London.-Functions:...
s. The coverage zone spans approximately 17 square miles (44 km²), roughly matching the Zone 1 Travelcard
Travelcard
The Travelcard is an inter-modal travel ticket for unlimited use on the London Underground, London Overground, Docklands Light Railway, Tramlink, London Buses and National Rail services in the Greater London area. Travelcards can be purchased for a period of time varying from one day to a year,...
area. Currently there are some 6,000 'Boris Bikes' and 400 docking stations in the BCH scheme, which has been used for more than 4 million journeys to date.
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
Credit card
A credit card is a small plastic card issued to users as a system of payment. It allows its holder to buy goods and services based on the holder's promise to pay for these goods and services...
or debit card
Debit card
A debit card is a plastic card that provides the cardholder electronic access to his or her bank account/s at a financial institution...
.
The project is expected to cost £140 million for planning and implementation over six years, and is potentially the only Transport for London
Transport for London
Transport for London is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London in England. Its role is to implement the transport strategy and to manage transport services across London...
(TfL) system to fully fund its annual cost of operation, a goal originally estimated to take two to three years. The scheme is sponsored by Barclays bank, which is contributing £25 million (18% of the scheme's initial cost) over five years to the project's funding, and have launched a free mobile app called Barclays Bikes.
The scheme is contracted to and operated by Serco
Serco Group
Serco Group plc is a government services company based in Hook, North Hampshire in the United Kingdom. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.-History:...
. The cycles and the docking stations are built in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and are based on the Bixi
BIXI
Bixi is a public bicycle sharing system developed by the Public Bike System Company , which itself was set up by the parking authority of Montréal to create a modular bicycle sharing system for Montréal....
cycle rental system that operates in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
.
Credit for developing and enacting the Barclays bicycle share scheme has been a source of controversy. London mayor Boris Johnson claimed credit for the plan, although the initial concept was announced by Johnson's predecessor Ken Livingstone
Ken Livingstone
Kenneth Robert "Ken" Livingstone is an English politician who is currently a member of the centrist to centre-left Labour Party...
, during the latter's term in office. Johnson has said that he "hoped the bikes would become as common as black cabs
Hackney carriage
A hackney or hackney carriage is a carriage or automobile for hire...
and red buses
Buses in London
The London Bus is one of London's principal icons, the archetypal red rear-entrance double-deck Routemaster being recognised worldwide. Although the Routemaster has now been largely phased out of service, with only two heritage routes still using the vehicles, the majority of buses in London are...
in the capital".
Operation
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.From 3 December 2010 the scheme has also been made available to casual users who have not registered with TfL. Those with a Visa or MasterCard
MasterCard
Mastercard Incorporated or MasterCard Worldwide is an American multinational financial services corporation with its headquarters in the MasterCard International Global Headquarters, Purchase, Harrison, New York, United States...
credit
Credit card
A credit card is a small plastic card issued to users as a system of payment. It allows its holder to buy goods and services based on the holder's promise to pay for these goods and services...
or debit card
Debit card
A debit card is a plastic card that provides the cardholder electronic access to his or her bank account/s at a financial institution...
(with Chip and PIN
Chip and PIN
Chip and PIN is the brandname adopted by the banking industries in the United Kingdom and Ireland for the rollout of the EMV smartcard payment system for credit, debit and ATM cards.- History :...
) 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.
Cycles
Each cycle is fitted with features designed to provide comfort and safety for the user, including:- Puncture-resistant tyres to increase durability.
- Brakes on each wheel hub.
- A three-speed hub gearHub gearA hub gear, internal-gear hub, or just gear hub is a gear ratio changing system commonly used on bicycles that is implemented with planetary or epicyclic gears. The gears and lubricants are sealed within the hub-shell of the bicycle's rear wheel, as opposed to derailleur gears, where the gears and...
operated by a twist grip on the right handlebar. - A chain guard, avoiding the necessity for trouser clipsTrouser clipsBicycle clips, also called trouser clips, are small C-shaped pieces of thin metal worn around the ankle when cycling in trousers. They are designed to prevent the bottom of the trousers from becoming caught in the chain or crank mechanism, and from being covered in oil and dirt...
. - DynamoDynamo- Engineering :* Dynamo, a magnetic device originally used as an electric generator* Dynamo theory, a theory relating to magnetic fields of celestial bodies* Solar dynamo, the physical process that generates the Sun's magnetic field- Software :...
-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 with elastic cord to secure possessions.
- Adjustable saddle height.
- Mudguards.
- A stand which can be kicked down into place using the left foot.
- 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'
Vélib'
' is a large-scale public bicycle sharing system in Paris, France. Launched on 15 July 2007, the system has expanded to encompass over 20,000 bicycles and 1,202 bicycle stations, located across Paris and in some surrounding municipalities...
scheme in Paris), nor do they come with helmet
Helmet
A helmet is a form of protective gear worn on the head to protect it from injuries.Ceremonial or symbolic helmets without protective function are sometimes used. The oldest known use of helmets was by Assyrian soldiers in 900BC, who wore thick leather or bronze helmets to protect the head from...
s. If there is a fault with a cycle, riders are 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 have been deliberately "geared down" to compensate for their weight, to make hill climbing easier, 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.
Docking stations
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:
- 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 electric vehicles with zero CO2 emissions. 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. The millionth journey rider was awarded four annual memberships of the scheme for five years for free.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. The scheme generated £323,545 in revenue from journeys in the first 96 days. 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. 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.
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. Other users have complained of computer issues, erroneous charges, and problems with docking stations. The system also does not enable transport to the suburbs, and TfL has admitted that the BCH scheme is "best for short journeys". Some users have also found the bikes too heavy and unwieldy, at 23 kilograms (50.7 lb).
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." SERCO has in turn admitted that "some aspects of the service still need to be improved."
Repair and replacement
According to Transport for London, in the first six months of operation two-thirds of the fleet of London's Barclay's Cycle Hire scheme fleet have had to undergo repairs. Serco, the company contractor for bicycle operations, is repairing more than 30 bikes a day. At any one time around 200 of the 5,400 strong fleet are off the road for maintenance or repair. As of February 2011, three BCH machines had been damaged beyond repair while in service, while ten more were stolen. Six docking stations have been hit and damaged by motor vehicles and six more have been vandalised.Costs
Users of the scheme must pay both an access fee and usage charges.Access fee
| Period | 24-hour access | Seven-day access | Annual access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | £1 | £5 | £45 |
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
On 10 November 2010 it was announced the cycle hire scheme is to be extended to east London to include the entire borough of Tower Hamlets and North ShoreditchShoreditch
Shoreditch is an area of London within the London Borough of Hackney in England. It is a built-up part of the inner city immediately to the north of the City of London, located east-northeast of Charing Cross.-Etymology:...
with an extra 2,000 bikes and 4,200 extra docking points to be installed.
External links
- Map of docking stations, Transport for London
- SourceLondon news on Serco's electric vehicles used by Barclays Cycle Hire
- Blog for users
(Transport For London)