Cycle city scheme Velib Paris wins Guardian Ethical Travel Award
Last updated 10/29/2008 1:45:41 PM
The Guardian has awarded its Ethical Travel award to Paris Velib, the self-service bike-hire scheme launched in July 2007.
Says The Guardian, “Its brilliance is in its simplicity. For a small fee you pick up a chic grey bike from one of the ubiquitous stands around the city, cycle to your destination and drop it off at another stand.”
It was first launched with 10,000 bicycles and 750 automated rental stations each with 15 or more bikes/spaces.
The number has since grown to 20,000 bicycles and 1,450 stations, about 1 station every 300 m throughout the city centre, making Velib the largest system of its kind in the world
In order to use the system, users need to take out a subscription, which allows the subscriber an unlimited number of rentals.
Subscriptions can be purchased by the day, week or year, at a price of, respectively €1, €5 or €29.