Boris Johnson’s flagship cycle hire scheme is being launched today with more than 11,000 people having signed up.
The Barclays Cycle Hire project will allow people in the capital to use bicycles stored at docking points in central London.
To begin with, only those who signed up will be able to use the bikes. Membership costs currently stand at £ 1 for 24 hours, £5 for 7 days and £45 for annual membership.
Those without membership will be able to hire bikes in a month or so, on a casual basis.
Docking station and cycle hire will be available in Camden, City of London, Hackney, Islington, Lambeth, Kensington and Chelsea, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Westminster and several of the Royal Parks.
Despite a large number of supporters, Boris has expressed concern over the scheme saying: “I have no doubt lots of things will go wrong.”
He also added that the scheme will not necessarily be an immediate success:
“”It will be more of a gradual launch than a big bang”
After Paris, this is the world’s second largest urban cycle hire system. The French scheme, Velib, has proven very popular since its launch three years ago.
Speaking yesterday, Kulveer Ranger, the Mayor of London’s transport advisor, said: “Tomorrow morning the capital will awake to a cycle revolution.
