Barclays/TFL cycle hire scheme in London

[Crispy]

But...

a) You don't need to hire a bike to wreck it in its docking station
b) I don't buy it that people wouldn't hire it with the best intentions, then act irresponsibly with it and return them damaged saying that they were broke when they got it. With way to prove otherwise, who cops the bill?

The runners of the system. The regular usage tariffs probably won't cover all the repair/replacement costs and the service will run with a subsidy, just like all the other comparable schemes in Europe, and just like most public transport. Whether the amount of subsidy will be seen as good value remains to be seen.

 

[Kanda]

Yes but there aren't purposely installed CCTV cameras at all the stands.

Do you know how much CCTV is in London already? They don't need to install anymore I would have thought.

 

[skyscraper101]

Do you know how much CCTV is in London already? They don't need to install anymore I would have thought.

You'd have thought, but looking at very recent examples of how effective CCTV is in Oxford Street - one of the most CCTV covered streets in the world - I'd bet against it.

Recent thread

and

http://cyclistneedshelp.blogspot.com/

 

[Mr T]

tfl are pretty hot at the moment on the recent crime and disorder act, which has a section basically required pubic sector orgs like tfl to assess the risk of crime in all their projects - which would probably have made cctv coverage a requirement for the docking station locations - and its not like there is a lack of it in central london anyway.

 

[toblerone3]

Local authorities are worried that that the Velohire scheme will cause an increase in accidents involving inexperienced hire cyclists in London how would you devise cycle training to help prevent this?

 

[Crispy]

Local authorities are worried that that the Velohire scheme will cause an increase in accidents involving inexperienced hire cyclists in London how would you devise cycle training to help prevent this?

Get training, get free hire credits?

 

[toblerone3]

Get training, get free hire credits?

Fantastic!

 

[DJWrongspeed]

Saw a couple of the new bikes in use yesterday, feels like it's really gonna happen at last. I wonder whether the docking stations are in the right place. A lot of the planned stations were rejected by councils. There are loads by the Imperial War museum but it that the right kind of place ?

I hope it kicks start a huge cycling take up really and not just from the hire scheme. There are far too many buses in central London. If the cycling numbers improve it would be great to see more road space for cyclists, Oxford street for example.

 

[toblerone3]

I hope it kicks start a huge cycling take up really and not just from the hire scheme. There are far too many buses in central London. If the cycling numbers improve it would be great to see more road space for cyclists, Oxford street for example.

I hope so too.

 

[London_Calling]

The overall economics were hugely optimistic the last time I saw - might have been earlier in this thread or elsewhere.

Don't know how much Barclay's are paying to be involved but it'll need to be a fortune for this to make sense based on the earlier numbers.

 

[skyscraper101]

But the amount of advertising they'll be getting out of it by plastering their logo on the back of each bike will probably more than cover the cost.

 

[skyscraper101]

Strangely coincidental also that the system is sponsored by Barclays and whilst you can hire the bikes with a Visa or Mastercard (both offered on Barclaycard), you cannot do so on American Express. TFL had no answer for this when I spoke to them and pointed out that you can use Amex for everything else on TFL but not the 'Barclays' cycle hire.

It's bullshit, its just like the London Olympics making everyone pay on VISA because of sponsorship reasons.

 

[strung out]

i always thought the reason most people don't take amex is because it's more expensive for the vendor to process amex payments, when relatively few people use it.

 

[skyscraper101]

i always thought the reason most people don't take amex is because it's more expensive for the vendor to process amex payments, when relatively few people use it.

Bur seeing as the rest of TFL do at any tube/train station and to top up Oyster online etc, it seems far too coincidental that the 'Barclays' cycle hire is the only one that doesn't take it.

 

[Black Halo]

To be fair regarding vandalism/breakages/costs etc when they launched this in Dublin it was expected that all the bikes would be trashed and thrown in the Liffey/canal within a week and it didn't happen and (as a ex-native) Dublin is a shithole sometimes compared to London. So I am being optimistic regarding how well the bikes/stands will be treated here.

I've signed up for a 24 access membership and got two keys (one for Mr Pat24)

If you have 2 keys can they be used at the same time? i.e. get 2 keys, pay £45 and both people get annual access and you can hire at the same time?

 

[Pat24]

If you have 2 keys can they be used at the same time? i.e. get 2 keys, pay £45 and both people get annual access and you can hire at the same time?

I don't think so, because I got two keys and got charged for two separate memberships.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Anyone know if there's a docking station near Waterloo station?

If so this could be great for me.

 

[skyscraper101]

To be fair regarding vandalism/breakages/costs etc when they launched this in Dublin it was expected that all the bikes would be trashed and thrown in the Liffey/canal within a week and it didn't happen...

Dublin's bikes didn't have a banking giant's logo emblazoned on the rear wheel iirc.

 

[temper_tantrum]

FFS, the map of docking stations isn't even up and running yet

 

[skyscraper101]

There's an unofficial map here already.

http://bbarker.co.uk/cycleHire/

Bahnhof there seems to be a fair few around Waterloo

 

[Crispy]

Waterloo Bahnhof

I see what you did there


EDIT: Oh you edited

 

[skyscraper101]

I see what you did there


EDIT: Oh you edited

Oh..yeh I saw too thought better of it

 

[temper_tantrum]

Oh, thanks Skyscraper
What a moronic thing to do, not to have the map ready on the official site How can I know if I'm interested in registering if I can't see where the sites will be?!

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

There's an unofficial map here already.

http://bbarker.co.uk/cycleHire/

Bahnhof there seems to be a fair few around Waterloo

Thanks, looking good.





And if you ever have a query about Taipei...

 

[Pat24]

Anyone know if there's a docking station near Waterloo station?

If so this could be great for me.

I think the nearest one is by Lambeth North tube st. Hopefully there is another one closer to Waterloo than that one.

 

[sleaterkinney]

Seen a docking station close to where I work, no bikes (maybe they've all been taken?!). The map only showed 1 other station and this is in central london. If london were more bike friendly I could see this taking off but I don't think it will.

 

[temper_tantrum]

It's a shame that there aren't any docking stations at Waterloo or London Bridge stations, I woulda thought these would be ideal for people who commute into town from further out - it could divert substantial traffic off the tubes ...

 

[Giles]

Why do some people think that there will be very high levels of vandalism of these bikes?

I mean, yes, a minority of people are vandals, but still: thousands of people park their cars (which are much more vandalisable than push-bikes) all over London, and although there are break-ins and damage, its not at mad levels, is it?

Maybe initially the novelty factor will cause some kids to mess about with the new hire bikes, but after a while they will just be "part of the furniture" and not subject to vandalism.

Even the Barclays logo thing isn't a big deal to most people. There are hundreds of Barclays branches all over London, do they get graffitied, windows smashed, etc all the time?

No......

Giles..

 

[ddraig]

would you walk around in a barclays jacket?
if so you just don't get it do you

 

[Giles]

People walk around with shopping bags with brand names of big companies on them, travel in buses, tubes and taxis with adverts plastered all over them, inside and out. Mostlyl they don't seem to be overcome with an overwhelming urge to rip down or deface the adverts.

So why on these bikes?

And are Barclays considered somehow particularly "bad" to most people? I remember that they WERE many years ago due to their apartheid South Africa connections, but now?

Giles..