Harmonious cities - UN-Habitat

IN-FOCUS Transport
The bicycle and new e-bikes are a favourite mode of transport for many Chinese
a working prototype of the Roboscooter, a
lightweight, folding electric motor scooter,
developed with Sanyang Motors and Taiwan’s
Technology Research Institute.
“Barcelona, Zaragoza and Taipei have
shown a level of interest in adopting it. The
Roboscooter will be a precursor to the City
Car, because the concepts are the same,” said
Mr. Chin.
The precedent for this type of shared personal
transport is the bicycle-sharing scheme
that has been set up in European cities. The
first such programme was initially launched
three years ago in Lyon, France’s third largest
city, as an ambitious project to cut traffic,
reduce emissions, improve parking and
enhance the city’s image as a greener, quieter
more relaxed place. Called Cyclocity, it was
deemed so successful that Barcelona, Stockholm,
Toulouse and Paris quickly followed
suit with their own systems.
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“The city’s 3,000 rental bikes have racked
up about 16 million kilometres since the programme
started in May 2005,” said Lyon’s
Deputy Mayor, Jean-Louis Touraine. “We believe
we have saved 3,000 tonnes of carbon
dioxide from being spewed into the air. Over-
“The ultimate goal is to create a system
whereby people can select an appropriate
vehicle for the mission at hand, be it scooter,
bicycle or car.”
all vehicle traffic in the city is down by four
percent and bicycle use has tripled, as the
programme has boosted a boom in private
bicycle use and sales.”
The Cyclocity concept, was developed from
the communal ideals of the hippy 1960s and
1970s, when bikes were left on the street for
anyone to use. Eventually these “bicycle sharing”
schemes failed as the bicycles were either
stolen or became irreparable.
Cyclocity relies on sturdier vandal-proof
bicycles and a credit card or refundable deposit
is required to discourage theft.
“It has completely transformed the landscape
of Lyon – everywhere you see people
on bikes,” said M. Touraine. “The programme
was designed not just to modify the equilibrium
between transport modes and reduce air
pollution, but also to modify the image of the
city and to have a city where humans occupy
a larger space.”
The Bicing system, set-up in Barcelona
last year, is jointly funded through streetcar
parking fees, which contribute €2.23 million
a year and also the yearly subscription fee of
€24, which makes it the cheapest transport
option available.
The first 30 minutes are free and thereafter
increase in half-hour blocks of a €0.30
charge. Use of two hours or more is discouraged
with a €3 charge per hour. This ensures
that each bicycle is used between 10 and 15
times a day.
Carmen Gramage, an office worker who
lives just outside the centre of Barcelona, says
that it gives an incredible sense of freedom.
“It’s a great concept. I use it almost everyday.
Most of the time it’s faster than the bus
or metro, especially for short distances, a lot
cheaper and it helps reduce pollution.”
The bicycle stations are conveniently
linked into already existing metro stations,
bus stops and car parks to assist in seamless
transport connections.
Due to its success and popularity with users
many other cities are keen to introduce
their own systems. These include London,
Dublin, Sydney, Melbourne and Toronto.
The bicycle itself is also undergoing technological
improvements. Synonymous with
China for years as a form of transport, it still
holds appeal to those Chinese who have not
been caught up in the wave of wealth sweeping
across the country. More than 20 million
e-bikes — bicycles with electric motors that
assist the rider — were built in 2007, according
to China’s Clean Revolution, a new report
by Climate Group.
The e-bike outpaced domestic auto sales
in 2007 two to one, and holds a market value
worth USD 6 billion. Giant Bike Co., one of
the largest bicycle companies in the world,
makes the e-bike and is aiming to produce
at least five new models and five upgrades of
previous models every year, which will enable
the company to ship over a million e-bikes
each year to cities all over the world.
Merging all three systems is what the team
at MIT are aiming for. “The ultimate goal is to
create a system whereby people can select an
appropriate vehicle for the mission at hand,
be it scooter, bicycle or car,” said Mr. Chin.
Changing people’s ideas about transport is
also a key for the future systems to work. “The
technology is here and the time is ripe.” u