Cycle-hire - The New Travel Option for Central London

This paper describes how, for five good reasons (sustainability, environment, reduced pollution, health and fitness) Transport for London (TfL) has a desire to reduce the strain on existing transport infrastructure, especially private car use. TfL envisaged that a cycle-hire scheme, which already exists in several European cities could help achieve such a goal. This paper assessed the feasibility and viability of implementing a city-bike scheme in central London. A business case for implementing a London scheme needed to be devised in order to convince TfL themselves, potential contractors/operators and ultimately financers that such a scheme should become a reality. The outcome of the business case is that the scheme will be established in central London this summer. Key inputs to the business case were robust evidence of the likely demand for the proposed cycle-hire scheme and insight into the likely impact on usage and revenues of different subscription, tariff and operational regimes. The key deliverable from the study was a demand forecasting model capable of predicting the demand, revenue and distribution of cycle-hire trips under different tariff structures. This paper will: (1) describe how the London cycle scheme will operate; (2) provide the technical processes developed to construct a model to predict the demand of such a scheme in London; (3) provide insight into the spatial distribution of cycle-hire trips; (4) provide a profile of expected cycle-hirers, and types of trip that will become cycle-hire trips; and (5) describe how demand varies according to tariff structure (eg existence, or otherwise, of a free period, and different subsequent hourly charges), level of deposit, level and period of subscriptions, etc. In conclusion, the authors will consider the pros and cons of the modelling approach, the significance of the findings for the provision/extension of city-bike schemes in London.

• Record URL:
  https://aetransport.org/past-etc-papers/conference-papers-pre-2009/conference-papers-2010
• Corporate Authors:

  Association for European Transport (AET)

  1 Vernon Mews, Vernon Street, West Kensington
  London W14 0RL,    
• Authors:
  • Le Masurier, P
  • Shore, F
  • Hiett, J
• Conference:
  • European Transport Conference, 2010
  • Location: Glasgow Scotland, United Kingdom
  • Date: 2010-10-11 to 2010-10-13
• Publication Date: 2010

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Pagination: v.p.
• Monograph Title: European Transport Conference, 2010 Proceedings

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bicycle facilities; Bicycle travel; Cyclists; Environmental impacts; For hire carriers; Nonmotorized transportation; Public health; Sustainable transportation; Travel demand
• Geographic Terms: London (England)
• Subject Areas: Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01350307
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 22 2011 7:51AM