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Page added on July 18, 2012
The Bicycle Revolution in Paris, Five Years Later
In July 2007, many Parisians laughed at their mayor, Bertrand Delanoë, when he announced the creation of a public bicycle sharing system aimed at reducing traffic in the French capital.
The system was called Vélib’, a combination of “vélo”, which means bicycle in colloquial French, and “liberté”, or freedom. During its first few months of operation, the skeptics appeared to be right.
While most Parisians snubbed the heavy public bicycles (weighing 23 kg), others destroyed or stole them. During the first year, 8,000 Vélib’ bicycles disappeared and another 16,000 were vandalized, according to official figures.
A number of other factors worked against the urban cycling initiative: the subscription requirement, the high cost of the service, the physical exertion required, which in the summer leads to certain side effects undesirable to a population famous for its polished personal appearance, and the chaotic Paris traffic, feared for its high risks.
But despite it all, when Vélib’ marked its fifth anniversary on Jul. 14, it was also able to celebrate its undeniable success: in five years, 138 million people have used the 23,000 rental bicycles, and the system currently has 225,000 subscribers out of a total urban population of 2.3 million.
In addition, during this time, only six people have died in traffic accidents involving rental bicycles.
The system has also gained followers: 31 communities on the outskirts of Paris have joined Vélib’, which serves as a model for another 34 French cities.
The Parisian authorities stress that Vélib’ has also served as an example for the development of similar initiatives in numerous cities around the world, from Melbourne, Australia to the U.S. city of San Francisco.
In 2011, Velib’ achieved profitability and is fully expected to yield profits again in 2012.
For Delanoë – a sober and extremely reserved politician who publicly declared his homosexuality in 1998 – the triumph of Vélib’ is also confirmation that his transportation policy, initially controversial, is the right one: a quiet revolution for a city besieged by traffic jams and air pollution.
“Five years ago, I could not have imagined that Vélib’ would have such good results,” Delanoë told Tierramérica *. “My goal was to try out a different policy, to help Parisians recover their independence and freedom in transportation, and at the same time, to reduce air pollution.”
This policy is summed up by the slogan “Paris respire” (literally, “Paris breathes”), omnipresent in signs used to promote bicycle use in the city.
Vélib’ “has disproved many urban transport taboos,” urban planning expert Isabelle Lesens told Tierramérica. “Bicycles reduce parking problems, and in a relatively small city like Paris, providing the weather is good, they are an efficient means of transportation.”
But despite its success, the innovative bike-sharing system still has certain drawbacks.
“The costs of Vélib’ are very high. The administration and maintenance of each bicycle costs 3,000 euro a year. There certainly could have been a way to achieve the same results for less money,” commented Lesens.
JCDecaux, the company that manages Vélib’ in cooperation with the city government, acknowledges these problems. “The system is very costly in terms of implementation,” Charles Decaux, chairman of the company’s board of directors, told Tierramérica. “But since 2011 it has achieved budgetary balance, after losing money during the first three years.”
In any event, the success of Vélib’ has inspired Parisians to rediscover their passion for cycling, reflected in the world’s foremost cycling race, the Tour de France.
Moreover, according to official figures, Parisians make roughly 200,000 trips a day on privately owned bicycles. In total, the number of bicycles in Paris has increased 41 percent since 2007. During the same period, motor vehicle traffic has decreased by 25 percent.
Bicycles are one component of the urban transportation policy that Delanoë put into practice when he was first elected mayor in March 2001. One of his first measures was the creation of traffic lanes for exclusive use by buses in almost the entire city, in order to speed up their circulation and reduce the space available for use by private automobiles.
The municipal government is also participating, in cooperation with communities on the city’s outskirts, in the construction of a non-polluting tram line that will form a connecting ring around Paris by 2020. In addition, some 370 km of bike lanes have been created in the city.
On the weekends, motor vehicle traffic is prohibited on the most emblematic streets of Paris.
On Dec. 5, the municipal government introduced an electric car sharing system based on the Vélib’ model. Christened, naturally, Autolib’, the initiative has not yet achieved the same degree of popularity as the bike-sharing scheme. But Delanoë is confident that it will have a positive impact on transportation in the city.
“When Autolib’ becomes part of the daily way of life of Parisians, like Vélib’ already is, the urban transportation policy will change definitively,” said the mayor, who was reelected in 2008, with 57.7 percent of the votes, to govern the French capital until 2014.
“All of these measures – Vélib’, Autolib’, the bus lanes, the tramway – are aimed at revolutionizing urban transportation and reducing private motor vehicle traffic, to curb carbon dioxide emissions and purify the air,” he added. “The fact is that automobiles no longer have a place in the big cities of our times.”
12 Comments on "The Bicycle Revolution in Paris, Five Years Later"
kervennic on Wed, 18th Jul 2012 11:15 am
3000 euros per bike per year, this is a complete shame.
I am a dedicated cyclist, my race bike cost 5000, i had it for 7 years before i got stolen last week and I repaired it myself for max 20-30 euros per year.
These bikes are crap, decault is a mafia business as well as bollore who operates the autolib.
with the same money used to make metal solid parking place,with attachment bars for the frame and the wheels and not only the wheels for private bikes and general policy to force all new buildings to have a bycilcle room with metal bars to lock individual bikes…
Delanoe would have had ten time this figure.
I go to paris, as a french, twice a year, The change is only cosmetic, there is no revolution, bycicle are really scarce compare to cars.
Paris is not copenhagen, at all. His figures are not correct, this is not what one sees when one lives in Paris.
Cycling in france remains dangerous, the odd to get stolen your bikes are huge because of the inexistence of decent parking facilities, and you get ten times more pollution than when you drive, because france is hooked on diesel (which the states cherish) and you receive it directly in your lungs form the exhauts, whereas cars usually have some distance between each other.
Revolution has to be won, and it needs some fight.
kervennic on Wed, 18th Jul 2012 11:27 am
made a mistake betwween currency,my bike cost 500 euros and lasted 7 years before being stolen (use it for thousands of km).
So the mayor of paris, with our tax money could have offered 42 nice bikes to people who need a bike to commute. I doubt a velib is used by 40 people every day. And velib are ugly, heavy and cannot take you over 60 km like a sport bike does.
Kenz300 on Wed, 18th Jul 2012 1:13 pm
Quote — ” Parisians make roughly 200,000 trips a day on privately owned bicycles. In total, the number of bicycles in Paris has increased 41 percent since 2007. During the same period, motor vehicle traffic has decreased by 25 percent.”
———————-
Bicycles are one component of the urban transportation policy, another was the creation of traffic lanes for exclusive use by buses and lastly the construction of a tram line that will form a connecting ring around Paris by 2020 are all positive measures that provide alternatives to the car.
As the price of oil continues to rise we will all be looking for ways to save money on transportation costs. Walking, bicycling and better mass transit are great alternatives to the automobile. Having options in life is a good thing.
SolarDave on Wed, 18th Jul 2012 1:41 pm
If people rode PEDAL GENERATORS to charge their small electric devices, they would be in SHAPE and they could ride the bikes ANYWHERE. This is a WIN for EVERYONE!
Virve la France!
ohanian on Wed, 18th Jul 2012 3:12 pm
Those bicycles in Melbourne are crap. They are heavy (made from cast iron). They are expensive. And You need to bring your own bicycle helmet to ride them. I rather ride my own bicycle which is much much lighter and fun. So instead what the city should have done is to have free bicycle locking area available to the public which will encourage the populous to ride more.
kervennic on Wed, 18th Jul 2012 4:00 pm
Cheers ohanian.
I know people who defends the principle of velib: they are rarely riding a bike themselves. Often never at all.
Those who ride a bike on a regular base have there own bike, velib are only cosmetic and hugely expensive.
When i was in paris i saw a guy on a sport guy riding from chatelet to les champs in a minute on a race bike.
Bikes are fast, faster than cars in jammed central town, but there are really very few.
Velib has been designed by non cyclist. This is a caricature of bikes, not anythig practical and can only disapoint people. With this money give them sport bikes or hybrid with ortlieb carrying bags and they will give up their cars forever.
If delanoe had riden a bike once in his life to go to work, he would have refused this deal from decaux.
DC on Wed, 18th Jul 2012 7:02 pm
A strange way to get people onto bikes. We see the same thing in N.A. Cities are spending huge amounts on small amounts of bikes. Here is what is odd about the way cities go about this. Lets look at how cars are provided for.
Gas burning cars
-Car Manufacture-Heavily subsidized by the sate
Oil Companies-Even MORE heavily subsidized by the state
Cars only infrastructure, roads, freeways-Subsidized again by every one, regardless of wither they drive or want to. So much so, many states are in state of constant deficits to maintain them.
-Policing, and massive deaths and injuries caused by cars-again costs borne by everyone.
Now bikes
Modest bike infastruture-often piggy backs on cars only roadways-Subsidized by the state but less than 1% of that allocated to cars
-The Bikes themselves-Subsidized and provided directly by the state. Huh? does the state provide rental cars to the public directly in order to encourage driving? NO! Sure the state susidizing car manufacture at everyones expense, but you never see the state providing cars in the manner bikes are. Why is this? Bikes are not expensive, and maintaining them is very cheap. If Paris, or any other city wants people to bike, why not just give vouchers to people to help offset cost of buying there own bikes?
Strange approach-thats how we end up with bike programs that cost a bloody fortune.
The article notes ‘only’ 6 people were killed on bikes while using the program. Should emphasize that CARS killed the people on the bikes. Somehow I doubt 6 bikers were killed colliding with other bikes, but the article ought to re-inforce who is who killing who here, not just assume people ‘get it’.
Kenz300 on Wed, 18th Jul 2012 10:08 pm
Bicycles are a great way to travel and there is no cost for fuel. We just need more safe, bicycle and walking paths that connect work, schools and homes so people can ride safely.
Beery on Wed, 18th Jul 2012 11:40 pm
3000 euros a year? What the heck are they doing – trashing them every month and replacing them? My bike, which I use every day) costs maybe $200/year tops, and I have a bike shop do everything that’s more complicated than blowing up the tires!
Beery on Wed, 18th Jul 2012 11:47 pm
Kervennic wrote: “Velib has been designed by non cyclist. This is a caricature of bikes, not anything practical and can only disappoint people.”
This is absolutely true. It’s the same with Capital Bikeshare here in Washington DC. The bikes are terrible – so heavy, they’ve virtually useless. They look, and presumably handle, like a mped, but without the engine. As a cyclist, I would never ride one of those monsters.
Beery on Wed, 18th Jul 2012 11:49 pm
I meant ‘moped’
DC on Thu, 19th Jul 2012 12:42 am
Yes, I agree. 23KG for a bike!, exhausting even for someone in good shape! My current one is 30.5 pounds, around 15kg and I find that a little too heavy even. And its solidly built. Maybe the idea was build em heavy since they would public, but Id never use a rental bike that heavy, or even for free! A 50pound bike would be horrific to ride, unless you really want lose weight fast.
As for for the 3000Euro, Yea yikes! How does that stack up against insuring and fueling and maintence on a gas-burner. I do spend maybe $100-200 dollars a year average, some years less, some more, to maintain my own bike. And thats with complete drivetrain overhauls and tires thrown in.