Practices adopted by Municipalities regarding Bike-Sharing Systems
In a letter to the Municipality of Vari – Voula – Vouliagmeni, the company BRAINBOX S.A. proposed the concession, under a loan-for-use contract, of twenty bicycles for transportation in the city, with their corresponding electronic parking spots and 2 infokiosks for a three-year duration, with the possibility of extension of the free concession for a further three years. Under the proposal, residents of the Municipality of Vari – Voula – Vouliagmeni will have access to the system by using a special electronic card supplied by the Municipality or at other locations to be set by the Municipality. At the same time, visitors and occasional users will be able to use their credit or debit cards to acquire access to the bicycles by sending an SMS from their mobile phones. The pricing policy for using the system shall be freely set by the Municipality, which shall be solely responsible for the pricing of the system services and shall collect the fees. The Municipality approved the terms of the loan-for-use contract. It is noted that ‘BRAINBOX S.A.’ proposed the concession of the use of the above equipment to the Municipality of Vari – Voula – Vouliagmeni free of charge. The Municipality shall only bear the expenses for maintaining, repairing and operating the equipment, amounting to €7,000.00 per year plus VAT (according to the initial proposal and the private loan-for-use agreement).
Under a funding programme for the promotion of projects, actions and other interventions to benefit the natural and residential environment, the Municipality of Kythira submitted an application for inclusion in Priority Axis 2 – Upgrading of urban infrastructure and Measure 2.1. Support for sustainable mobility, titled: ‘Creation of bicycle rental stations with a system for the electric charging and public use of electric bicycles to serve the needs of visitors to Kythira’. The Municipality proposed the creation of two fully equipped electric bicycle rental stations with the additional procurement of two electric charging systems for the public use of 10 electric bicycles, with a total value of EUR 128,781.00, including VAT. More specifically, this action involves the Procurement of a Bike-Sharing System, consisting of 2 Central stations with registration capabilities, 2 Regional stations without registration capabilities, 10 electric bicycles and 32 parking spots.
Upon securing the assent of the Intermediate Managing Authority of the South Aegean Region for the tendering of the project titled ‘Procurement and installation of bicycle stations in the city of Rhodes’ within the context of the ‘Crete and the Aegean Islands 2017-2013’ Operational Programme, the Municipality of Rhodes conducted an open tender for the Procurement and Installation of public-use bicycle stations (60 bicycles, 5 bicycling stations and an Operating System). Subsequently, a relevant contract was concluded between the Municipality of Rhodes and the company Cyclopolis Ltd. According to the Bike-Sharing System Operating Rules, BSS is defined as the automated bike-sharing system implemented by the Municipality of Rhodes, permitting the short-term rental of bicycles. The operation and management of the BSS will be undertaken by the competent Services of the Municipality and will include maintenance of the bicycles and consumables, redistribution of bicycles among stations, promotion of the System, commercial exploitation of the System and the general operation and management of the System.
A similar Bike-Sharing System (BSS) is in operation in the Municipality of Glyfada, which has issued a relevant regulation. The document issued by the Technical Service of the Municipality demarcated the public spaces where Bike-Sharing System (BSS) stations will be installed in order to allow access to public-use bicycles via automated services (EasyBike system). The BSS consists of bicycle stations where bicycles parked on suitable parking racks and convenient locations are available for rental. Access to the service is available via a subscription card and a unique access code for each user. The cost of the service, which constitutes revenue for the Municipality of Glyfada, includes a fixed access charge and a gradual charge depending on the duration of use. The operation and management of the BSS is carried out in the name of the Municipality of Glyfada by a contractor-manager, which has undertaken the maintenance of the bicycles and consumables, the redistribution of bicycles among stations, the telephone support service, the promotion of the System, its commercial exploitation, and the general operation of the BSS. Within the first five days after the end of each quarter, the manager pays the revenue collected from the BSS to the Municipality of Glyfada.
Following an open tender for the operation & maintenance of a Bike-Sharing System by the Municipality of Moschato-Tavros, the award criterion being the most advantageous tender, a contract was concluded between the Municipality and the contractor company VCI S.A. In the context of the execution of the above contract, the Municipality of Moschato-Tavros has procured sixty (60) bicycles and has installed five (5) Stations at five (5) different locations. Each Station includes, on average, seventeen (17) bicycle reception / locking spots and one electronic kiosk where the system operates. The object of the service awarded concerns all works and materials required for the proper and practical operation of the System and, more specifically, all the works and materials required for the redistribution of bicycles among Stations, bicycle maintenance, notification of the Municipality regarding the progress of the System, as well as the submission, at the end of the contractual period, of a proposal – report on the results of the System and any actions required to improve it. The management company directly charges Users – Subscribers for subscription fees, Bicycle use fees and any other charges due to delayed return or failure to return a Bicycle, issuing lawful invoices and paying all System revenue to the Municipality. The management company is paid a fee of €13,500.00.
The Municipality (of Moschato-Tavros) and the CYCLOPOLIS Ltd have also signed a ‘Software Upgrade – Technical Support and Service – Hosting Services Contract’ for a fee of €2,460.00, including VAT.
The Municipality of Amaroussion conducted an open tender, the award criterion being the most economically advantageous tender for the ‘Automated Bike-Sharing System of the Municipality of Amaroussion’ (Procurement – Installation), with a budget of €232,101.00 (including VAT). This concerns the introduction of an automated Bike-Sharing System in the Municipality of Amaroussion. According to the notice, the System will consist of Stations (where the bicycles will be located), bicycles (city bicycles that will be resilient and specially designed in order to be clearly recognisable) and the Application (the software used for the smooth operation of the System).
Under a funding programme, the Municipality of Aktio-Vonitsa conducted an open tender for the procurement and installation of an automated bike-sharing system and signed a relevant agreement with the contractor. The object of the procurement is the implementation of a Bike-Sharing System (BSS) within the limits of the Municipality of Aktio-Vonitsa that will include the procurement & installation of equipment, i.e. 3 Stations, 35 bicycles (+5 auxiliary bicycles) and 51 parking spots.
The Municipality of Glyfada issued a Tender notice for open, verbal auctioning of the leasing of the right to use public spaces for the installation of an equal number of bike-sharing system stations. The object of the auction is the leasing of 2 public spaces for the installation of an equal number of Bike-Sharing System Stations. The lessee shall install its own equipment at the above spaces, operating in a uniform, electronic manner according to the specifications, terms and requirements of the Municipality. The pricing policy of the Bike-Sharing System will be set solely by the Municipality which is the beneficiary of the revenue from the renting of the bicycles. Furthermore, the lessee shall provide integrated technical support services for the operation of the integrated system, and shall also be responsible for the cleaning and maintenance of all system areas. issued a Decision to Concede a public space of the Municipality for the operation of the Bike-Sharing System (BSS) Stations.
The Municipality of Kavala leased the Automated Bike-Sharing System for ten (10) years following an auction.
Under a funding programme, the Municipality of Nea Smyrni submitted a proposal for the funding of an action titled ‘Automated Bike-Sharing System of the Municipality of Nea Smyrni’ with a budget of €156,259.20. The action was approved, an open tender was carried out for the procurement and installation of an automated bike-sharing system, and a relevant contract was signed with the contractor company ‘VCI S.A.’. The object of the service awarded concerns all works and materials required for the proper and practical operation of the System and, more specifically, all the works and materials required for the redistribution of bicycles among Stations, bicycle maintenance, notification of the Municipality, etc. The Service also includes the procurement and replacement of bicycle consumables. According to the terms of the contract, the management company will be paid exclusively from the revenue of the System resulting from the subscription fees paid by Users – Subscribers, bicycle use fees and any other charges due to delayed return, etc. The company will collect fees and charges directly from users and will pay 10% of the gross System revenue to the Municipality of Nea Smyrni, minus the amount of Guarantees, which it will pay in full for the replacement of bicycles that were not returned.