Reykjavík City Council moves one step closer to a bike sharing system after the City Council decided last week to request bids from companies who are interested in operating such a system for downtown Reykjavík.
The bike sharing systems would be similar to those operated in most major cities, including the capitals of the other Nordic countries. It could serve both locals and visitors, offering people the opportunity to pick up specially marked bikes at select locations for a fee and a deposit, and then return them for a return of the deposit.
Read more: Reykjavík city council wants 25% of all trips to be made by foot or bicycle
The local news site visir.is reports that potential bike-sharing stations would be in the city centre, by the University of Reykjavík and the University of Iceland campus, as well as the bus-stop square Hlemmur. Einar Hermansson, the manager of AFA JCDecaux in Iceland, which is one of the companies interested in operating a bike sharing system in the city, told the local newspaper Morgunblaðið that he expects the city will need at least 5-6 stations to begin with, and 80-100 bikes.
AFA JCDecaux is a Danish company which operates outdoor media in cities and airports around the world, selling advertising space on things like city furniture and bus stops. The company also operates bike sharing systems in 170 countries. Einar tells Morgunblaðið that a bike sharing system for Reykjavík could probably be operated 7-8 months each year, but that this and other details, including the type of bikes, had yet to be worked out.
Reykjavík City Council moves one step closer to a bike sharing system after the City Council decided last week to request bids from companies who are interested in operating such a system for downtown Reykjavík.
The bike sharing systems would be similar to those operated in most major cities, including the capitals of the other Nordic countries. It could serve both locals and visitors, offering people the opportunity to pick up specially marked bikes at select locations for a fee and a deposit, and then return them for a return of the deposit.
Read more: Reykjavík city council wants 25% of all trips to be made by foot or bicycle
The local news site visir.is reports that potential bike-sharing stations would be in the city centre, by the University of Reykjavík and the University of Iceland campus, as well as the bus-stop square Hlemmur. Einar Hermansson, the manager of AFA JCDecaux in Iceland, which is one of the companies interested in operating a bike sharing system in the city, told the local newspaper Morgunblaðið that he expects the city will need at least 5-6 stations to begin with, and 80-100 bikes.
AFA JCDecaux is a Danish company which operates outdoor media in cities and airports around the world, selling advertising space on things like city furniture and bus stops. The company also operates bike sharing systems in 170 countries. Einar tells Morgunblaðið that a bike sharing system for Reykjavík could probably be operated 7-8 months each year, but that this and other details, including the type of bikes, had yet to be worked out.
